Geard and National Disability Insurance Agency

This matter concerned an application by Mr Geard against a decision of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Mr Geard sought funding for a Thermomix 6 as a reasonable and necessary support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The dispute centred on whether the Thermomix 6 constituted a "comparable support" that offered "value for money" and was "effective and beneficial" for Mr Geard, who has a vision impairment.

The court was required to determine whether the NDIA's decision to refuse funding for the Thermomix 6 was correct. Specifically, the court had to consider if the proposed support met the criteria outlined in the NDIS legislation and Rules, particularly concerning the assessment of supports as "effective and beneficial" and whether they represented "value for money" compared to comparable supports. The court also had to assess the evidence presented by Mr Geard regarding his lived experience and his research into assistive technology.

The court considered Mr Geard's evidence detailing his vision impairment and his desire to return to work and cook with limited supervision. He highlighted safety concerns in the kitchen, including a past incident where he burned himself on the stovetop due to his inability to ascertain if it was on. Mr Geard proposed the Thermomix 6 as a solution to mitigate risks by reducing clutter and offering a safer cooking method, noting his daughter's positive experience with the appliance. However, the Tribunal was not satisfied that the evidence demonstrated the Thermomix 6 fulfilled the "value for money" requirement under Rule 3.1(a) of the NDIS Rules.

Consequently, the Tribunal found that the requirements of section 34(1)(c) of the NDIS Act were not met, and the application could not succeed. The reviewable decision of the NDIA was affirmed.