Labor leader Bill Shorten has accused the federal government of trying to “crab walk” away from the national disability insurance scheme after it conceded there could be delays in the delivery of the scheme.



Liberal frontbencher Mitch Fifield has conceded there might be issues beyond federal government control that could delay the delivery of the scheme.



Fifield says the government is determined to deliver the scheme in full and on time, working to a target date of 2019, but there may be issues that could slow down the delivery.



“There could be unforeseen issues beyond the commonwealth’s control which could affect the schedule,” he told Sky News on Saturday. “I think that’s just a matter of logic.”

Fifield says he’s currently in negotiations with six jurisdictions over bilateral agreements for the rollout of the scheme.



“The commonwealth cannot declare that negotiations are over ... it takes both parties to reach a conclusion,” he said. “This is a shared venture of all Australian governments.”

But Shorten on Saturday accused the government of trying to “crab walk” away from its election promise to deliver the NDIS in full and on time, labelling it a “disgrace”.



He told the Tasmanian ALP state conference that since the Abbott government came to power there had been “a whispering campaign” against the NDIS.



“Leaking misinformation about costs, cobbling together their weasel words as they crab walk away from the promises which they made before the election.”



Shorten earlier told reporters in Hobart he was sceptical the government ever believed in the NDIS.



He accused it of promising bipartisan support for the scheme ahead of the 2013 election just to get elected.



“It’s clear that Mr Abbott and his team are walking away,” he said.



Disability advocates have already warned they will unleash a major campaign against the Abbott government if the scheme is delayed.