Protecting the purpose of the NDIS

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1016

Submission on the NDIS Amendment Bill

1. My Connection to this Issue

I have the privilege of helping people with disabilities. People with disabilities are human beings deserving of humility, compassion, and meaningful support. The NDIS was created to give them the opportunity to live full, purposeful lives — and it can continue to do so if reforms focus on the right problems.

The current Amendment Bill does not target the true drivers of cost pressure. The major issues are:

1. Inefficient processes that create delays, duplication, and unnecessary administrative spending.

2. Adversarial decision-making, where participants are forced into lengthy appeals.

3. Millions spent on lawyers and tribunal cases, even though many decisions are ultimately ruled in favour of participants.

4. Fraud and misuse, which should be addressed through smarter oversight, not by restricting legitimate supports.

5. Under-utilisation of allied health expertise, despite these professionals being best placed to assess functional needs.

Instead of tightening access or reducing supports, reforms should focus on trusting qualified allied health and medical professionals, streamlining approvals, and reducing the need for litigation.

Many NDIS participants want to work, contribute, and be part of the system that supports them. Creating programs that employ participants within the NDIS ecosystem including peer navigation, advisory roles, co-design, community liaison — would not only reduce costs but also strengthen the scheme’s humanity and lived-experience leadership.

A sustainable NDIS is absolutely possible. But sustainability must never come at the cost of dignity.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1016

2. My Overall View of this Bill

I oppose this Amendment Bill because it shifts the NDIS away from it original purpose- supporting people with disabilities to live meaningful, autonomous lives. The Bill does not address the real drivers of rising expenditure. Instead it risks creating new barriers for participants while failing ton strengthen the system in the areas that genuinely need reform.

A sustainable NDIS is essential, but sustainability must be achieved through process, improvements, trust in qualified allied health professionals, and targeted fraud prevention. It should not be through restricting access or reducing supports.

3. My Main Concerns

Communication and Accessibility

Clear, accessible communication is essential for people with disabilities to understand their rights, navigate the system, and make informed decisions. The proposed changes risk increasing complexity and reducing transparency. Many participants already struggle with inaccessible language, inconsistent messaging, and long delays. If communication becomes harder, people will miss critical information, lose supports, or be unable to challenge incorrect decisions. This matters because accessibility is not optional, it is a fundamental right.

Loss or Reduction of Supports

The Bill introduces mechanisms that could lead to reduced supports, tighter interpretations of “reasonable and necessary,” and greater discretion for decision-makers. Participants who rely on stable, consistent supports may face cuts that undermine their independence, safety, and wellbeing. This matters because supports are not luxuries, they are essential for daily living, employment, education, and community participation. I can promise you there is not a single person whole would chose therapy and requiring someone to complete the basic necessities of living.

Community Participation

Community participation is one of the core goals of the NDIS. Any reform that narrows eligibility or reduces funding for social and community supports risks isolating people and reversing years of progress. This matters because inclusion is the foundation of a fair society, and participation reduces long-term costs by improving health, employment, and social outcomes.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1016

Crisis Situations and the “Non-Contactable” Rules

The proposed “non-contactable” rules could remove or reduce supports for people who are unable to respond within set timeframes — including those in hospital, experiencing mental health crises, homelessness, domestic violence, or communication barriers. This matters because the people most at risk of losing supports are the ones who need them the most. A crisis should never be grounds for punishment.

Children, Families and Early Intervention

Families of children with disabilities already face long waitlists, inconsistent assessments, and gaps between mainstream and NDIS services. The Bill’s changes to early intervention and eligibility risk pushing children out of the scheme before adequate supports are in place elsewhere. This matters because early intervention is time-critical, delays or reductions now can create lifelong impacts on development, education, and family wellbeing.

Eligibility Changes

Shifting eligibility criteria or introducing new functional assessment requirements may exclude people who currently rely on the NDIS. Many disabilities are episodic, invisible, or complex, and rigid criteria fail to capture real-world needs. This matters because eligibility defines who gets help and who is left behind. Any change must be evidence-based, fair, and grounded in lived experience.

4. What I Want the Committee to Understand

I would like the Committee to understand that the NDIS is not simply a funding mechanism, it is a lifeline for some. Every decision made in this Bill will directly affect real people, real families, and real futures. The concerns I have raised are not theoretical. They reflect daily experiences of participants, carers, and workers who see the impact of system failures firsthand.

What matters most is that the Committee recognises:

• People with disabilities are experts in their own lives — Reforms must be shaped with, not for, the people they affect.

• Communication must be accessible and humane — If people cannot understand decisions, they cannot exercise their rights.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1016

• Supports are essential, not optional — Reductions or rigid interpretations of “reasonable and necessary” will cause harm, not savings.

• Community participation is a core purpose of the NDIS — Isolation is costly, both socially and economically.

• Crisis situations require protection, not penalties — The “non-contactable” rules risk removing supports from people at their most vulnerable moments.

• Children and families need stability and early intervention — Delays or eligibility tightening will have lifelong and financial consequences.

• Eligibility changes must be fair, transparent, and evidence-based — The system must not exclude people simply because their disability is complex, episodic, or misunderstood.

Above all, I want the Committee to understand that the NDIS can be sustainable without undermining the rights and dignity of the people it was created to support. The path to sustainability lies in improving processes, reducing adversarial decision-making, trusting qualified professionals, and addressing fraud precisely and not through broad restrictions that harm participants.

The NDIS is one of Australia’s most important social reforms. It must remain a system that empowers, not one that creates fear, uncertainty, or exclusion.

6. My Position on this Bill

My position on this Bill is to oppose it. While I support efforts to strengthen the NDIS and ensure its long-term sustainability, this Bill does not address the real issues affecting the scheme. Instead, it risks creating new barriers, reducing essential supports, and undermining the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.

I oppose this Bill because:

• It shifts the focus away from people and toward administrative control and cost-containment.

• It increases complexity in communication and decision-making, making the scheme less accessible.

• It creates pathways for support reductions that will harm participants’ independence and wellbeing.

• It threatens community participation by narrowing what is considered “reasonable and necessary.”

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1016

• It introduces unsafe “non-contactable” rules that could cut supports for people in crisis.

• It risks excluding children and families from early intervention at the exact time support is most effective.

• It changes eligibility in ways that may leave people without any alternative services.

My position is not based on resisting reform, it is based on protecting the purpose of the NDIS. The scheme can be sustainable, fair, and effective, but only if the reforms focus on process improvements, trust in qualified professionals, targeted fraud prevention and participant-centred design.

This Bill does not achieve that.