People with disabilities should not be on the "margins of society", Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.
Mr Abbott and Victorian Premier Denis Napthine have opened the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) headquarters in Geelong.
"Not only is this a great day for the people of Geelong, it's great day for people with disabilities right around Australia," Mr Abbott said on Wednesday.
"This is a watershed for our society ... a better way of living for almost half a million Australians.
"People with disabilities aren't people who should be on the margins of society.
"They are our friends and neighbours, parents and siblings, they are us and we need to look after them."
Mr Abbott said his government was fully committed to the NDIS, a scheme introduced by the previous Labor government.
Earlier he toured the National Disability Insurance Agency office, meeting with workers some of whom have a disability.
Dr Napthine, who has an adult child with a disability, choked up with emotion in his opening remarks.
He said the NDIS would introduce a better, fairer and more equitable funding model that was about enabling the person with a disability to be empowered themselves.
