The Office of the Public Advocate in Victoria has released a report called The Illusion of Choice and Control.
The report shows the impact of the NDIS using eleven case studies of people for whom the OPA provides guardianship, and makes 15 recommendations.
The report highlights the need for advocacy funding and availability:
“OPA has repeatedly identified the need for assured government funding for advocacy services outside of the NDIS to support people to make timely access requests, and reiterates this call.”
“OPA guardians are finding that a great deal of advocacy is often required on behalf of their clients who are NDIS participants; they record 60 per cent more ‘actions’ on these files compared to other guardianship matters. It also appears that guardianship orders are sometimes being made or renewed by VCAT to ensure that someone fulfils a coordination and oversight role when things are not going well, which is not necessarily an appropriate use of guardianship, especially when no decisions need to be made.
What is often actually required is assertive advocacy.”
