The national disability insurance scheme spent millions of dollars sending clients on African safaris, international cruises and other overseas holidays as invoices went unchecked and the disability program’s multi-billion dollar costs ballooned.
Documents from the agency that runs the scheme show that in 2023, nine companies charged the government $7 million for short-term accommodation.
The data, released under freedom of information, reveals details of the travel providers who were eligible to use the scheme because disabled people could claim travelling would help build their life skills.
ClubMates Travel owner Peter Negri said there was a post-COVID explosion in firms offering travel plans as NDIS recipients searched for ways to use government funding they were unable to spend during lockdowns.
“There would have been billions pissed down the toilet because they were not doing checks [on invoices]. There were companies popping up everywhere, competitors to us, using short-term travel for everything,” Negri said.
The ClubMates website, like others, informs recipients how to justify their travel is consistent with NDIS rules.
The trips, according to the website, allow disabled people to engage in “social activities, manage their travel budget and meet new people” to “help to reduce social isolation and improve overall wellbeing”.
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Gary Elliot’s firm Leisure Options received $800,000 in 2023 to fund getaways for disabled people and their carers, a form of travel called “respite”.
He, like Negri, said Shorten’s crackdown had created an invoice-checking system, a major achievement before the minister leaves government in February next year.
“There’s no doubt this has been an area that has been abused and used incorrectly. I am aware of other organisations that have been doing this, they provide other services but they have added holiday and travel to their services,” Elliott said.
Other firms that received money for short-term accommodation are Fun Cruise Autism, Discover Holidays, Freedom 4U Supported Holidays and Care 2 Cruise.
Rustyudder on
It’s absolutely wild how far out of control this was allowed to get, and how many people were so eager to exploit it.
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The national disability insurance scheme spent millions of dollars sending clients on African safaris, international cruises and other overseas holidays as invoices went unchecked and the disability program’s multi-billion dollar costs ballooned.
Documents from the agency that runs the scheme show that in 2023, nine companies charged the government $7 million for short-term accommodation.
The data, released under freedom of information, reveals details of the travel providers who were eligible to use the scheme because disabled people could claim travelling would help build their life skills.
NDIS Minister Bill Shorten announced last week that a range of items such as travel, sex therapy and drug services [would be banned in an attempt to reduce yearly growth](https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smh.com.au%2Flink%2Ffollow-20170101-p5kf13) in NDIS spending from 20 per cent to 8 per cent.
ClubMates Travel owner Peter Negri said there was a post-COVID explosion in firms offering travel plans as NDIS recipients searched for ways to use government funding they were unable to spend during lockdowns.
“There would have been billions pissed down the toilet because they were not doing checks [on invoices]. There were companies popping up everywhere, competitors to us, using short-term travel for everything,” Negri said.
ClubMates’ website advertises holidays including a $14,000 trip to South Africa’s Kruger National Park. “Check how much you can claim on your NDIS plan with our calculator,” [it states](https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fclubmatestravel.com%2Fitinerary%2F25032-epic-south-africa%2F).
The ClubMates website, like others, informs recipients how to justify their travel is consistent with NDIS rules.
The trips, according to the website, allow disabled people to engage in “social activities, manage their travel budget and meet new people” to “help to reduce social isolation and improve overall wellbeing”.
Loading
Gary Elliot’s firm Leisure Options received $800,000 in 2023 to fund getaways for disabled people and their carers, a form of travel called “respite”.
He, like Negri, said Shorten’s crackdown had created an invoice-checking system, a major achievement before the minister leaves government in February next year.
“There’s no doubt this has been an area that has been abused and used incorrectly. I am aware of other organisations that have been doing this, they provide other services but they have added holiday and travel to their services,” Elliott said.
Other firms that received money for short-term accommodation are Fun Cruise Autism, Discover Holidays, Freedom 4U Supported Holidays and Care 2 Cruise.
It’s absolutely wild how far out of control this was allowed to get, and how many people were so eager to exploit it.