West Australian athlete Serge Asquer hopes to represent Australia at the blind bowls championship next year but cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) could dash his dreams.
Asquer, from Mount Barker in the state’s Great Southern region, picked up lawn bowls seven years ago after losing his vision due to hydroxychloroquine, a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
The former marksman used to have NDIS funding to access up to 24 hours’ worth of support services a week.
But those hours were cut to four per week last year and will be halved twice before March 2028, leaving him with just one accessible support hour at the end of his three-year plan.
“Apart from some basic things like showering myself, there’s not much I can do by myself anymore,” Asquer said.
“I had a goal to keep me going. Without this, I have nothing. Bowls is my life.“
An ‘inconvenience’
Asquer is one of 11,000 Australians with primary vision impairments who access NDIS funding for support services.
He and others are awaiting the result of a Senate inquiry into the cuts, which would see more than 200,000 people removed from the NDIS over four years as part of efforts to reduce costs.
Serge Asquer started playing bowls after he lost his sight. (ABC Great Southern: Will Corbett)
The reduced NDIS support means Asquer has had to rely on friends and family, which he said was less than ideal.
“They have jobs and lives as well — they can’t just take time off to help me get into town,” he said.
“If I can’t make so much as a cuppa, how am I going to get around?”
A fair go
Federal Greens senator and disability right activist Jordon Steele-John said accessing support work was vital to community participation.
Jordon Steele-John says people living with disability should not have to rely on friends and family for care. (ABC News)
“It enables you to be a part of the community and live with dignity. No-one should have that taken away,” he said.
“The NDIS was created to help disabled people and our families, and yet there still seems to be these indiscriminate cuts regardless of what is means for people.”
Reducing support was also against Australian values, Senator Steele-John said.
“Sport is a huge part of who we are and a fair go is what we hope, as a community, to be at the centre of everything we do,” he said.
“Where is Serge’s fair go here?”
A nervous wait
An NDIS spokesperson said those affected by the cuts had the right to appeal the agency’s decisions.
“All funding decisions are made based on the evidence provided and in line with the NDIS Act, including supporting greater independence through assistive technology and capacity building supports,” they said.
“NDIS participants have the right to request a review of Agency decisions, including through the Administrative Review Tribunal.”
Asquer said he had asked for access the NDIS for access to assistive technology but had not made much headway.
In the meantime, the blind bowls athlete fears he will lose the ability to participate in the sport he has been competing in around the country.
“Without bowls, I have nothing,” he said.
