Ms Coralee O'Rourke MP

This bill updates Queensland's disability services laws for the full rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme from 1 July 2019. It ensures state-level protections for people with disability continue under the new national framework, strengthens criminal screening of disability workers, and maintains coronial oversight and community visitor programs for NDIS participants receiving high-level supports.

This bill ensures that sole traders providing disability services under the NDIS in Queensland must undergo the same criminal history screening (yellow card system) as employees of disability service providers. It also enables Queensland Police to share expanded criminal history information with interstate worker screening units to support nationally consistent NDIS worker screening.

This bill updates Queensland's guide, hearing and assistance dog laws so that people with disability who need a support person to handle their dog (like a child with autism and their parent) are properly recognised. It also cuts red tape by letting approved trainers issue handler ID cards directly, and gives inspectors stronger powers to enforce the Act.

This bill extends Queensland's disability safeguards to providers funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as the scheme rolls out from 2016. It makes sure NDIS participants keep the same state-based protections - worker screening, complaints handling, community visitor checks and coroner oversight - that currently apply to people funded directly by the Queensland Government.