Over 140 delegates delivering disability services across regional, rural and remote Australia have convened in Cairns to connect with colleagues and consider what sector transformation could look like in their communities. 

With others also watching sessions on livestream, NDS’s annual Regional and Remote Conference on 9 and 10 April explored how providers are finding innovative solutions to invigorate their business and service delivery. 

Reform in our regions 

It’s well known that sector pressures and operating difficulties hit harder outside the cities, where providers need to know what changes are coming their way. One of the first sessions saw Liz Sutton (Chair, NDS Queensland Divisional Committee) lead a panel of DSS, NDIA and NDIS Commission representatives to get the inside information on sector reforms, as well as transformation initiatives underway in the regions. 

Also on a busy Day One, delegates learnt about innovative models being used by Karratha Healthcare to address workforce barriers in the Pilbara and how providers can amplify person-centred emergency preparedness. In his presentation, Scott Davis from Well Balanced Care said that “dinosaurs”, those experienced in service provision in remote communities, had much they could share with newer entrants in delivering innovative and high-quality services. 

By late afternoon, fresh ideas were emerging from every corner of the country. HR+ shared their lessons from developing community capacity in north-east Tasmania, and ARC Disability Services from Cairns showed how collaborative competition can benefit everyone in local Communities of Practice.  

Providers had plenty to talk about in the evening networking session, but not before StewartBrown and Perpetual showed how benchmarking data could future-proof their businesses.  

Sharing progress with the sector 

Warmly welcomed to Day Two by HESTA, delegates soon dived deep into practice elements that We Care NSW found best supported local Aboriginal residents with psychosocial disability. Gallagher’s session dismantled common insurance misconceptions among regional and remote services, while Multicap showed providers the tools they can use in their medication management when mainstream services are limited. 

Community connection is key for providers in less populated regions, and an interstate panel on place-based service delivery discussed how to avoid conflicts of interest and protect against sharp practice. Attendees also heard how the Western Queensland Primary Health Network partners with peak bodies like NDS to consult with outback services that span hundreds of thousands of square kilometres. 

Damian Griffis (CEO, First Peoples Disability Network) delivered the keynote address, rounding out the Conference for 2024 with a detailed ten-point plan to address disability inequity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. 

If you missed out, registration includes 30 days on-demand access to the recorded conference program. 

NDS thanks all those who attended the conference — both in person and online — and made it such a success.  

We also thank our conference supporters: 

Thank you to our conference exhibitor: 

National Disability Insurance Agency