More than 200 carers, aged-care workers and disability care workers protested in Newcastle yesterday against the NSW ­government’s proposed privatisation of ­services as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme roll-out.

Public Service Association of NSW ­general secretary Steve Turner said the union opposed plans to privatise ­government-controlled organisations such as Ageing Disability and Home Care (ADHC), part of Family and Community Services.

“The whole point of the NDIS was to increase choices and provide better results for people,” he said.

“ADHC provides most of the high-need services because they are expensive and ­highly skilled. Closing down ADHC will reduce those choices.”

Mr Turner said a protest would take place in Maitland in the coming months, but he would not say when.

Disability Services Minister John Ajaka said the government had agreed with the Commonwealth to transfer disability care services to the non-government sector by 2018.

Mr Ajaka said this would give more choice and control to people who used the services.

“The non-government sector provides about 60 per cent of services to date in NSW,” he said. 

“The quality of care from this sector will only increase as the demand for competitive services grows to support about an additional 50,000 clients by 2018.

“The NSW Parliament passed an NDIS Enabling Act with cross-partisan support, which will ensure government employees will transfer to the non-government sector on the same terms and conditions that are in their awards now, and with all their leave and other entitlements preserved.

“By 2018 it is estimated about 25,000 more disability staff will be needed to support the NDIS program statewide, which puts staff in an incredibly strong bargaining position.”