National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1039
Submission to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
My name is , and I am the mother of a three-and-a-half-year-old child who has been formally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 2.
My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of two and has had an approved NDIS plan for approximately the past 8–10 months. Access to NDIS funding has had a profoundly positive impact on both my son and our family. It has enabled him to access the therapies and supports he requires at this critical stage of his development and has given him a genuine opportunity to participate more fully at kindergarten, at home, and within the wider community.
Without NDIS funding, our family would simply not have the financial capacity to provide the level of support our son needs. His therapies would cost approximately $800 per fortnight if funded entirely out of pocket, which is not financially sustainable for our family. The prospect of being unable to provide these necessary supports for our child is devastating as parents.
Autism is a lifelong disability that significantly impacts my son’s ability to function within a society designed primarily for neurotypical people. The challenges associated with Autism Level 2 extend far beyond what may be described as a “moderate” disability. My son experiences severe anxiety, social isolation, low muscle tone, hyperflexibility, digestive issues, difficulties with food intake, toileting challenges, impaired executive functioning, delayed gross and fine motor skills, and limited speech and conversational ability. These challenges affect every aspect of his development, wellbeing, and mental health.
Describing Autism Level 2 as merely “moderate” fails to acknowledge the substantial barriers autistic individuals face in accessing systems and environments that are not designed with their needs in mind. Every new stage of life introduces additional challenges. Ongoing access to NDIS supports into adulthood will be essential to ensure my son can continue accessing therapies and assistance that enable him to participate meaningfully in education, employment, community life, and society more broadly.
I am deeply concerned by several aspects of the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026. I also wish to note my concern regarding the limited consultation period. Allowing only two weeks for submissions does not provide adequate time for families already managing the significant responsibilities associated with caring for a child with disability, often while balancing employment and other commitments.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1039
Below are the provisions of greatest concern to me and the reasons I believe they require further scrutiny and amendment.
Section 34A — Ministerial Funding Cuts
This section grants the Minister broad powers to implement percentage-based funding cuts across whole categories of support.
Section 33(2EA) — Support Caps by Cohort
This section would allow the Minister to impose caps on supports for specific cohorts of participants, potentially removing individualised and necessary supports from people with complex needs.
Granting such broad discretionary powers to any Minister, without adequate safeguards or oversight, creates significant risks for people with disability and their families. Decisions that may drastically affect access to supports should not be made without transparency, accountability, and meaningful consultation.
Broad funding reductions or cohort-based caps fail to account for the unique and highly individual nature of disability. They overlook the recommendations of qualified health professionals, therapists, and disability specialists who assess participants’ needs on an individual basis. Any legislative changes affecting disability definitions, eligibility, funding levels, or supports should require mandatory consultation with the disability community, medical professionals, allied health practitioners, and disability support experts.
Section 50A — Unspent Funds and Auto-Renewal
I am concerned about provisions that would result in participants losing access to unspent funds when plans are reassessed or automatically renewed.
Families often face unavoidable delays in accessing therapies due to provider shortages, long waitlists, illness, or changing support needs. Punishing participants for circumstances beyond their control risks reducing access to essential supports and may disproportionately disadvantage children and families already under significant strain.
Section 34(1)(aa) — “Directly Arising” Rule
This proposed amendment narrows eligibility by requiring supports to “directly arise” from a participant’s primary disability impairment.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1039
For autistic individuals, many support needs are interconnected and cannot always be separated neatly into categories. Autism frequently impacts communication, emotional regulation, sensory processing, physical health, executive functioning, and social participation simultaneously. Restricting supports through an overly narrow interpretation risks excluding therapies and interventions that are essential to a participant’s overall functioning and quality of life.
Section 9B — New Eligibility Test
This section proposes stricter functional capacity assessments beginning in 2028, including reassessments for current participants.
This proposal creates significant anxiety for families already navigating the uncertainty and complexity of raising a child with disability. Autism is lifelong. While support needs may change over time, the need for support itself does not disappear. Repeated reassessments risk creating unnecessary stress, instability, and administrative burden for participants and families.
Schedule 5 — Broad Regulatory Powers
I am also deeply concerned by Schedule 5, which would provide the Minister with extensive powers to alter how the Act operates for up to 12 months without further parliamentary approval.
Legislation affecting vulnerable Australians should be subject to robust parliamentary scrutiny and transparent democratic processes. Concentrating broad regulatory power in this way risks undermining public trust and reducing accountability in decisions that may significantly affect the lives of people with disability.
In conclusion, I strongly urge the Committee to reconsider these proposed amendments and to ensure that the rights, dignity, and lived experiences of people with disability remain at the centre of any reforms to the NDIS.
The NDIS has already made an immeasurable difference to my son’s development and our family’s wellbeing. For many families like ours, these supports are not optional extras — they are essential to ensuring our children have the opportunity to participate in society, develop independence, and live fulfilling lives.
Thank you for considering my submission.
Kind regards,