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Andrew Brown

Shorten wants answers on 'confronting' footage of kids

Bill Shorten says footage of children being pinned to the ground by NDIS workers is confronting. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

Footage of children with autism being pinned to the ground by multiple NDIS service workers has been described as "shocking and confronting" by the federal minister.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says the practice is unacceptable and he is seeking an explanation after the video was broadcast on the ABC's 4 Corners program.

The vision shows a child with autism being pinned down by six workers as part of a therapy program in Melbourne that was funded by the NDIS.

"I found the footage shocking and confronting, it's unacceptable," Mr Shorten told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

"There is no set of circumstances which permits what we saw, in my opinion ... I certainly don't think there's any place in the sector for people running this program."

While the NDIS commission said the controversial program had stopped in 2021, the ABC reported it was still running several months later.

Mr Shorten said the department was seeking information about whether the program was allowed to continue.

"I'm seeking an explanation about what happened and is this right. We were told that it was shut down," he said.

"People carrying out illegal practices should not be in the scheme, full stop. They should be banned. They shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the scheme.

"I want to make sure that (the NDIS) is delivering quality and safe services. We've got, I think, several problems in the scheme in terms of the lack of sufficient oversight."

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