National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025

Submission 9

29 January 2026

Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 By email: community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au

deeply concerned about this issue.

Dear Committee Secretary

RE: National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025.

The RACGP broadly supports measures to protect the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), reduce overservicing, and ensure its long-term financial viability. Enhanced regulation of NDIS providers will help maintain access to vital supports for NDIS participants and respond to cases of fraud.

Specialist general practitioners (GPs) are intrinsically involved in disability work and often have strong and ongoing relationships with people living with disability, their families, carers and other multidisciplinary care team members. GPs provide patient-centred, safe, comprehensive, and ongoing care to people with disability through all life stages. They routinely help patients apply for NDIS funding by providing evidence of disability and functional impact.

Currently, GP involvement in the NDIS is sporadic and their status as medical specialists is not formally recognised by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Opportunities for GPs to provide clinical input to ease NDIS funding is appropriately allocated often depends on a patient’s ability to self-advocate, and the extent to which NDIS planners understand the GP’s role. This bill presents an opportunity to legislate the need for GP expert opinion to be considered when someone applies for the NDIS or their plan is being reviewed.

Specialist GPs have demonstrated through Medicare Benefits Schedule-funded GP Chronic Condition Management Plans that they are adept at utilising allied health resources efficiently and effectively to meet the greatest needs of their patients and respect service workloads.

Building collaborative partnerships between the health and disability sectors will enable people with disability to achieve and maintain optimal health and function, and therefore live better, more inclusive lives. Embedding a greater role for GPs in the NDIS via legislation will contribute to a more sustainable NDIS, ensuring people with disability get the support they need when they need it. The RACGP stands ready to work with government and the disability sector on reforms to strengthen the NDIS now and into the future.

Please contact , on or via , if you wish to further discuss the role of GPs in disability care and management.

Yours sincerely

Dr Michael Wright President