A PROMINENT career in politics and law means Adam Kempton is no stranger to campaigns for change, but it's his role as a father which has fuelled his involvement in pushing to transform disability funding.
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Mr Kempton is part of a growing group of supporters campaigning for the introduction of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which he said was potentially the biggest reform to disability service funding and delivery in the past 50 years.
The Australian Productivity Commission proposed huge reform of the sector in its draft report, released in February, and called for the creation of the national scheme to fund long-term high quality care and support.
The Every Australian Counts campaign has pushed for the scheme and has claimed management of disability support services has been inequitable, with people receiving different levels of support depending on how, when and where their disability was acquired.
Mr Kempton is a former president of Mpower and board member of Realise Enterprises, which provides support and training for people with a disability through involvement with their catering service Tasty Plate.
But it's his experience as father to 20-year-old George, who has Down syndrome, which makes Mr Kempton know just how important this reform will be for individuals with a disability, carers and families.
He encouraged carers to take the time to really understand the system and reforms being proposed by the Productivity Commission and for them to take an active part in lobbying local, state and federal government to bring about the change.
"Carers are being asked to take in this whole new process and scheme," he said.
"(It's) not only a change in the amount of money but also a change in the process by which individuals will be funded.
"I'm urging members of the community to get on top of it."
The introduction of the NDIS in-line with the Productivity Commission's recommendations could double the $6 billion spent annually by governments on disability services and support.
Three meetings have been held in Warrnambool aimed at giving community members more information about the proposed scheme and have involved input form a range of organisations including Vantage, Community Connections and Southern Way.
Mr Kempton said even with the recommendations from the Productivity Commission, there was still work to be done in showing the government how strongly the community supported the reform.
"We still need the states to agree and for the federal government to support it," he said.
But Mr Kempton anticipated if the scheme was adopted by the federal government, it could be introduced by the end of 2012.
The final report of the Productivity Commission is due to be presented to the federal government at the end of the month.