Parrey and National Disability Insurance Agency

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered the case of Ms Parrey and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Ms Parrey sought a review of the NDIA's decision to affirm her statement of participant supports under her NDIS plan. The central dispute concerned whether funding for transport, specifically a transport allowance, was available under the NDIS, particularly in light of Ms Parrey having previously received a mobility allowance from Centrelink which ceased upon her becoming an NDIS participant.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether transport funding, in the form of a transport allowance, was a reasonable and necessary support for Ms Parrey under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth). This involved assessing whether her inability to use public transport and her reliance on her motor vehicle for essential travel, including to work, medical appointments, and local shops, qualified for NDIS funding, and whether such funding was consistent with the "no disadvantage" principle.

The Tribunal found that Ms Parrey's evidence and that of her witnesses was truthful. It accepted that Ms Parrey has psoriatic arthritis, which causes significant mobility issues and debilitating ocular migraines, making public transport difficult and driving her car sometimes impossible. The Tribunal noted that while Ms Parrey can drive her car for most purposes, her disability impacts her ability to do so consistently. Crucially, the Tribunal found that Ms Parrey's core support funding within her NDIS plan, totalling $31,113.80 for daily activities and community participation, was available to be used for transport supports as she deemed necessary and appropriate, including the cost of a support worker to drive her. The Tribunal affirmed the NDIA's decision.