THERE was mixed reaction to Tuesday's federal budget from Redland community groups.
Disabled groups welcomed Wayne Swan's sixth budget, which set out big spending plans to fund a National Disability Scheme, now called Disability Care Australia, pay for the Gonski school funding reforms and road infrastructure programs.
However, education and welfare groups were more sceptical and said struggling families would be worse off.
The National Disab- ility Insurance Scheme, which gained Opposition and state government support, would be partly funded with a 0.5 per cent hike in the Medicare levy.
The rest of the NDIS would be paid for using budget savings.
Horizon Foundation chief executive Joe Gamblin said his Redland-based organisation welcomed the introduction of DisabilityCare Australia which will be phased in but fully functioning by 2019.
Mr Gamblin said Horizon, which provided services for disabled people and their families across South East Queensland, would face more competition.
"It will be a significant shakeup for disability service providers mainly because disability service users will be able to choose which service provider they want to spend their funds with," Mr Gamblin said.
"The NDIS will create another 97,000 youth service places and about 450,000 extra places across the country, where about 20 per cent of the population has a disability."
Mr Gamblin said to get NDIS funding, people had to meet criteria and only those with "the highest life-long needs" would be covered.
Thornlands mum of three Kristen Dodd, whose 18-year-old daughter Shannice is disabled, said she was delighted with the NDIS but concerned about its longevity.
"For many, the only thing they know about the NDIS is that it will be another tax on their hard-working family, and I do feel guilty for this as I know everyone has their own struggles," Mrs Dodd said.
"For my family, the NDIS means my daughter will have assistance to help her be independent, to actively contribute to the community, to have control of her own life and choices, and the freedom to access therapy services and equipment in order to lead a full, rich life.
"It also means the freedom of security that if something was to ever happen to me, as her carer, her needs will still be met without her having to live in an aged care facility," she said.
Mrs Dodd said she and her husband Chris believed life would get easier as Shannice got older.
Mrs Dodd had to give up work to care for her daughter as Shannice's growing needs meant more therapies, appointments and hospitalisation, while trying to ensure the needs and requirements of her two other children Aayden, 16, and Elleira, 6.
The family income dropped and because Mrs Dodd was no longer working, she was no longer accruing superannuation.
Despite being non-verbal, Shannice makes it very clear that eventually she would like to live with her friends and Mrs Dodd said her daughter had the right to her independence.
"With the introduction of the NDIS, no parent will need to have to endure the life-long anguish again and our daughter will, hopefully, eventually get her dream of living with her friends."
