National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

Submission 154

Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Australia

Dear Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, I am writing to share my concerns about the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No.

1. Bill 2024. I am a family member of a person with disability and a disability advocate and service provider. The NDIS is very important to me. It helps me access and provide meaningful and valuable services and support.

I am worried about the following parts of the Bill:

• Reasonable and Necessary Budgets Changing from ‘reasonable and necessary supports’ to ‘reasonable and necessary budgets’ will limit the supports people can get. People need support to live an ordinary life.
• Narrower Definition of Supports The new definition of supports are too narrow. It will exclude important supports that people need to be part of the community and achieve their goals.
• Increased Powers for the NDIA The NDIA would have more power to make people undergo assessments or provide information. If people do not comply, their plans could be suspended or revoked. This could be very hard for people with disability, especially during a crisis or if we have complex needs.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024

Submission 154

4. Restrictions on Self-Managing Funding

The NDIA could stop people from self-managing their funding if they have made mistakes before. This goes against the principle of choice and control.

I also have other concerns about the Bill:

• I am very concerned that animal assisted supports and services will no longer be supported by the NDIS, these are CRUCIAL services that are extremely effective in supporting those living with disability.

Overall, I am worried that this Bill moves away from the original vision of the NDIS. The NDIS is meant to give people with disability choice and control over their supports. This Bill is more focused on saving money than helping people with disability.

I think the Bill should be paused or stopped. There should be real co-design with people with disability. We need changes that truly meet the needs of people with disability.

I urge the Committee to recommend significant changes to this Bill or making other moves to save money. There must be thorough consultation with people with disability and our representative organisations.

The NDIS is too important to get wrong. We must get this right, with people with disability at the centre of the process.

Thank you for considering my submission. I would be happy to provide more information if needed.

Yours sincerely, Suzanne Lee