The Citi Australia report, authored by economists Josh Williamson, Paul Brennan and Vivian Jiang, said questions over the scheme’s financial sustainability and value for money were “largely unfounded”.

“The net new cost of the NDIS at scheme maturity is below the total estimated $22 billion,” the report said.

“A misconception is that the NDIS requires 100 per cent new funding. The NDIS does not require this amount because the scheme is expected to reduce the funding required for a range of existing federal and state government programs.”

The report said offsets to the value of $11 billion had been identified by the Australian government actuary in 2011 and needed to be included in the equation.

“The net cost of the NDIS, is therefore closer to $11 billion which is equivalent to just 0.6 per cent of GDP in 2020,” the report said.

The report said the NDIS was a “quantum leap” from the traditional model of funding and at full maturity would deliver GDP benefits of up to $23 billion.

“The NDIS is designed to be more equitable and sustainable than the system it replaces,” the report said.

Source: Probono Australia