Bill Shorten has called for a "shake-out" at the top of the agency running the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The shadow disability minister has also accused the Morrison government of lying about the "$60 billion NDIS problem" after ditching proposed changes on assessing disability care needs.
"If they're not lying, they are cowards because they don't have the courage of their own convictions," Mr Shorten told the ABC.
The federal executives who recommended the independent assessment scheme are still in charge.
"I don't trust them not to try again," Mr Shorten said.
"I think there are improvements you can make to the NDIS, but this crew, this mob running it, they just think it's a welfare program to be cut."
NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds has been forced to start from scratch after dumping a proposal to introduce independent assessments.
She tried to introduce the controversial reforms to rein in the ballooning cost of the scheme.
Actuaries reportedly warned her the annual cost of the NDIS would hit $60 billion by the end of the decade.
Ms Reynolds was rolled by state and territory ministers on Friday following a campaign from the disability community, who feared the changes would leave them worse off.
She has since promised to work with the disability community to design a new assessment process.
"We are starting afresh," she said.
"With the sector, we will work through how we best achieve a fairer outcome for people."
Leading disability advocate Dougie Herd said the federal minister needed to talk in a meaningful way, after the relationship between people with disability, the agency and the federal government hit an all-time low.
"It is past time to get real," he tweeted.
Senator Reynolds had argued the existing individual planning process was inequitable because it allowed for people's support packages to be determined in part by their postcode and socio-economic status.
However, a trial of independent assessments for people with plans and new applicants exposed major issues.
An architect of the NDIS and the first chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency, Bruce Bonyhady, said the proposed "robo-planning" could be used to exclude participants, cap plans or change the eligibility criteria.
Labor and the Greens are staunchly opposed to the introduction of a new version of assessments.
Senator Reynolds is also planning to introduce legislation aimed at cracking down on unscrupulous providers.
She expects to introduce the bills in coming months.
Australian Associated Press
