National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 111
To the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee,
I am writing as a family member and ally who cares deeply for people with disability and the supports that allow them to live with dignity, safety, and independence. I am extremely concerned about the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026, and I urge the Committee to amend or reject the elements that would reduce autonomy, restrict choice, and undermine self‑determination for participants.
The people I support rely on the NDIS not only for essential daily assistance, but for connection, community, and the ability to live a life of their choosing. The proposed cuts to social and community participation funding — including a 50 per cent reduction — would have devastating consequences. These supports are not “extras†; they are what enable people to leave the house, maintain friendships, build skills, volunteer, work, and stay connected. Reducing them risks increasing isolation, carer strain, and poorer long‑term outcomes.
I am also deeply concerned about the proposed changes to provider registration and the possibility that self‑managed and self‑directed arrangements could be restricted. Many people with disability rely on trusted workers, sole traders, direct employees, and service‑for‑one models that offer flexibility, cultural safety, continuity, and genuine choice. Mandatory registration would remove this control and force people into arrangements that may not meet their needs or keep them safe. Self‑direction must remain protected in both the Bill and the Rules.
The introduction of new functional capacity assessments, without clarity about how they will work or what appeal rights will exist, also raises serious concerns. Access to the NDIS must be fair, transparent, and grounded in real‑life support needs — not rigid tools or cost‑cutting measures.
As someone who sees firsthand the difference that autonomy and tailored support make, I ask the Committee to ensure that the NDIS remains a system that empowers people with disability rather than limiting them. Please amend the Bill to protect participant‑led arrangements, maintain genuine choice and control, and safeguard the supports that allow people to participate fully in their communities. Ensuring safety, health, autonomy, self determination and community participation of people with disabilities should not be where money is saved. This is is our core responsibility as a society and therefore as a government.
Thank you for considering this submission.
Sincerely,