National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1076
27 May 2026
Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Committee Secretary,
Re: National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
I write to provide comment on the proposed amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act.
I acknowledge the Government’s stated objective of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and addressing fraud, misuse, and inefficiencies within the Scheme. Measures such as improved compliance powers, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and civil penalties for providers are positive steps toward strengthening system integrity.
However, I am concerned that many of the proposed reforms place a disproportionate regulatory burden on participants and prospective participants, while insufficiently addressing structural problems within provider governance and service delivery.
The proposed changes introduce significant restrictions affecting participants, including tighter controls on unscheduled plan reassessments, more restrictive access criteria through revised permanence definitions, and broader mechanisms to reduce funding across support categories. While fiscal sustainability is essential, these reforms risk creating additional barriers for individuals with genuine and ongoing support needs.
In contrast, although the Bill introduces enforcement powers and civil penalties for providers, these measures appear largely reactive in nature. They rely on misconduct being identified after concerns arise, rather than proactively strengthening provider regulation, service standards, and quality assurance frameworks.
As the final recipients of NDIS funding, providers should be subject to stronger preventative oversight and accountability requirements. There is growing community concern regarding:
• over-servicing and unnecessary expenditure designed to exhaust allocated participant funding;
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1076
• variable service quality despite high billing rates;
• delivery of supports by inadequately trained or inexperienced workers;
• overreliance on remote service delivery, such as telephone or video-based support, in circumstances where in-person engagement would provide substantially greater benefit;
• commercial practices that prioritise revenue generation over participant outcomes.
Support work is relational and person-centred by nature. Where providers bill premium rates for care, there should be clear expectations regarding the quality, appropriateness, and mode of service delivery.
I respectfully recommend that the Committee consider amendments that:
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strengthen proactive provider auditing and monitoring;
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introduce more rigorous minimum workforce qualification and competency standards;
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increase transparency regarding provider billing practices and service delivery models;
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establish clearer limits on claiming for remote-only support where in-person care is more appropriate;
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direct additional resources toward provider regulation, compliance monitoring, and participant safeguards.
The sustainability of the NDIS should not be achieved primarily through restricting participant access or reducing flexibility for individuals with disability. A more balanced approach would place greater emphasis on regulating providers, improving service quality, and ensuring public funds are used effectively to deliver genuine participant benefit.
Thank you for considering this submission.
Yours sincerely,