An unofficial NDIS event held by a private company in the Great Hall at Parliament House, which cost hundreds of dollars to attend, has been referred to the consumer watchdog after wrongly promoting that government ministers would be in attendance.
The event, the National NDIS Review Conference was hosted on Friday by Communities of Practice, and attended by people living with a disability, disability support workers, and disability service providers.
Communities of Practice, a services provider that has been running for three years, whose website said it comprised of “groups of people who share a common interest and passion for improving outcomes for people with disabilities”.
The event page on the website advertises that the federal NDIS Minister Bill Shorten, the ACT Minister for Disability, Rachel Stephen-Smith, and the NDIS Commissioner, Tracey Mackey, would be attending.
Mr Shorten is advertised to have been giving an “exclusive interview” and “keynote address” and that Ms Stephen-Smith was described as a “panellist”, and the minister’s office confirmed the event itself cost hundreds of dollars to attend.
The minister’s office had told the event organisers on February 27 and 28 that Mr Shorten would not attend. It reiterated that advice to organisers on March 7 when his office also asked that marketing materials distributed reflect that he would not be in attendance.
In one email from his office to organisers, obtained by the ABC, it said: “As you’ll appreciate, it is imperative that attendees and prospective attendees are accurately informed about the speakers at the conference.”
In a statement from Mr Shorten’s office, it said he was “gravely disappointed” that organisers kept promoting his attendance, selling tickets and sharing the event with the disability community, “with false advertising material” that said he would be attending.
“The minister repeatedly asked organisers to stop using his name to promote the event, and on the 7th of March reiterated to organisers that he would not be attending and asked them to update their promotional material to ensure attendees were informed,” the statement said.
“The minister has referred the matter to the ACCC to investigate if organisers displayed misleading conduct to hundreds of attendees from the NDIS and disability communities or breached any laws, as he is furious at the failure to inform prospective attendees that he was not attending.”
ACT minister Ms Stephen-Smith’s office said she had declined an invitation to the event in March because of a scheduling conflict.
On the Eventbrite page for the event, where attendees were directed to buy tickets, it advertises a keynote address from Ms Mackey and “Convener, NDIS Summits” and chair and non-executive director: public policy advisor Dev Singh, who hosted the event at Parliament House.
An email address, that appeared on the Eventbrite event page for Mr Singh and that Mr Shorten’s office had been in contact with, is no longer valid.
The event organisers’ website did not name anyone who was involved in the service and a LinkedIn for Devinder Singh did not say he was involved with Community of Practice. It did include that he had been involved with, or was still involved, with multiple disability services as a member, chairperson or director.
“Our distinguished panel of 27 thought leaders will navigate the nuanced landscape of these recommendations, fostering insightful discussions and strategic insights,” the website of the event said.
“With a commitment to inclusivity, the conference invites 500 attendees to participate in person, fostering meaningful connections, while an additional 1,000 individuals join virtually, ensuring widespread engagement.”
The ABC has contacted an email on the Communities of Practice website for comment.