National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1079
Submission on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 From: Edward Croft, Noggerup WA 25/05/2026
Dear Committee,
I am the father of a severely disabled young man who lives with profound autism, an intellectual disability, is non-verbal, and requires 24/7 support. I would not wish his challenges on anyone. He currently resides in emergency accommodation in Perth under the care of the Department of Communities. While the staff do their best, the environment resembles a suburban prison more than a home. I provide this context not to criticise those workers, but to illustrate the vulnerability of the people this Bill will affect.
My submission relates to the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill 2026.
- Excessive Ministerial Power and Lack of Safeguards
My primary concern is the unprecedented power this Bill grants the Minister to reduce supports for individuals or entire groups without meaningful consultation or independent oversight. The first example — a proposed 50% cut to community engagement funding — demonstrates how devastating such unilateral decisions can be.
For my son, who requires 2:1 support in the community, such a reduction would result in further social isolation. He loves swimming and picking up rubbish, but he cannot safely participate in these activities without two trained support workers. When he is with me, I take risks no worker could be expected to take, because I am his father and the only person capable of physically intervening if needed.
A Minister should not have the power to make sweeping decisions that directly harm people like my son without transparent consultation with those affected.
- Capping Supports and the Introduction of “Robo-Plans”
The Bill allows the Minister to set maximum rates for supports and to adjust the intensity of supports regardless of individual need. This undermines the very foundation of the NDIS — that supports are based on a person’s functional capacity and professional assessments.
The proposed Framework Plans, with predetermined maximums, amount to “robo-plans” that cannot possibly reflect the complex needs of people with multiple, interacting disabilities. I fear these changes will lead to widespread underfunding and, inevitably, a future Royal Commission.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1079
- The Removal of the Whole-of-Person Approach
The amendment to section 34(1)(aa), inserting the word “directly”, is deeply concerning. My son’s disabilities do not exist in isolation. His autism, intellectual disability, OCD, communication challenges, and behavioural issues combine to create a level of need far greater than any single diagnosis.
To deny supports because they are not “directly” linked to one diagnosis is to ignore the reality of complex disability. It is also contrary to the original intent of the NDIS.
- Erosion of Plans and Loss of Unspent Funds
My son’s plan has already been reduced from $1.5 million to $350,000, with assurances that it will increase “when required”. In the current climate, those assurances feel hollow.
Because he resides in State care, I am unable to use much of his plan funding — it is considered “double dipping”. Yet I am desperately trying to secure a long-term Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) home for him, one that must exceed even Robust++ standards. He needs a home built to withstand the reality of his behaviours — effectively “Robust to the power of 10”.
The Bill’s proposal to remove unspent funds and prevent their restoration in future plans is unfair and punitive. It punishes families for circumstances beyond their control.
- Financial Penalties and Plan Suspensions
The Bill also allows the NDIS to suspend or terminate a participant’s plan — or fine their guardian or administrator — if the Agency cannot contact them. This places families like mine at financial and legal risk for administrative issues.
The NDIS exists to support participants and taxpayers, not to penalise the people caring for our most vulnerable citizens. These provisions require urgent reconsideration.
Conclusion
This Bill, in its current form, threatens the integrity of the NDIS and the wellbeing of the people it was created to support. It centralises power, reduces transparency, and undermines the whole-of-person approach that has been essential for people with complex disabilities.
I urge the Committee to amend the Bill to ensure:
• genuine consultation with participants and families • independent oversight of Ministerial decisions
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1079
• protection of individualised planning • preservation of unspent funds where circumstances prevent their use • removal of punitive measures against guardians and administrators
Thank you for considering my submission.
Faithfully, Edward Croft