In April 2008 the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, assembled a group of prominent Australians with a wealth of experience and knowledge in philanthropic investment and asked them to explore innovative funding ideas from the private sector that will help people with disability and their families access greater support and plan for the future.

The Disability Investment Group (DIG) was chaired by Ian Silk. Its members included Bruce Bonyhady, John Walsh, Bill Moss, Kathleen Townsend, Allan Fels and Mary Ann O’Loughlin (until October 2008). The Australian Government released the Disability Investment Group’s report called The Way Forward: A New Disability Policy Framework for Australia on December 3 2009.

The report makes six recommendations. The principal recommendation is for a feasibility study into a national disability insurance scheme for Australia.

Other recommendations refer to:

• Special Disability Trusts
• savings and investment incentives
• private investment in housing
• better employment opportunities and
• building best practice and research

According to The Way Forward, over the next 40 years in Australia the number of people with severe or profound disability is projected to grow from 1.4 million to 2.9 million. Recent trends indicate growth in demand for specialist disability services of 7.5 per cent per annum in real terms.