THE federal government has welcomed opposition leader Tony Abbott’s offer of bipartisan support for developing a national disability insurance scheme.

Mr Abbott last week proposed a bipartisan parliamentary committee to help bring the scheme to fruition. 

The scheme needed to be the property of the whole nation rather than that of a single political party, he said.

“The coalition will do whatever we reasonably can to make it happen as soon as possible and would accept a government invitation to be jointly responsible for this vital national project,” Mr Abbott said.

Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said he would be mealy-mouthed if he did not say he was pleased with Mr Abbott’s position.

“It is a good development,” he told ABC Radio today, noting that the opposition leader appeared to have come around to a position some of his colleagues reached a year ago.

AAP