Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the concerns of people with a disability regarding the termination of the Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS) for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants from 30 June 2019.

Ending the TSS on 30 June, prior to the NDIS establishing new and adequate transport supports, will result in approximately 10,000 Queensland NDIS participants who currently rely on the TSS being substantially worse off.

The TSS program enables affordable transport options for people with a disability by subsidising half of the fare (up to a maximum of $25).

Queensland NDIS participants will also be impacted by the removal of the $20 ‘Lift Payment’ that the Government offers to Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (WAT) drivers who transport TSS members, as an added incentive to improve services for people with a disability.

These Queenslanders, who are already extremely vulnerable to social isolation, will be left stranded due to basic transport support becoming unaffordable, excluding them from everyday activities including staying connected to family and friends, study and employment.

There are also concerns that removing the TSS and the Lift Payment will lead to less incentives for WAT operators to offer services to Queenslanders with a disability.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to take all possible measures to ensure the TSS and Lift Payment is extended by two years for Queensland NDIS participants. This will provide more time for the Commonwealth and state-based transport subsidy systems to align and ensure Queenslanders with a disability are not disadvantaged.