In The Media | 30 July 2015

Big hopes NDIS will deliver jobs and services to Aboriginal people in remote areas

Everyone in Menindee, in far western New South Wales, knows Ricky Newman.

Each morning Mr Newman cruises the streets of the town in his electric wheelchair, keeping an eye on things and saying g’day to his neighbours.

Fifteen years ago, the Aboriginal man was a promising rugby league player and star of the local club, Wilcannia Boomerangs.

He trained as a carpenter and was starting to earn good money.

But a motorbike crash left him with swelling on the brain and led to a stroke, leaving half of his body paralysed.

Menindee’s official population is 1,000, but it is likely that half that number actually live in the town.

Support services for Mr Newman are limited, but the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has the potential to change that.

Source: abc.net.au