Submission 1129 — National Lived Experience Commission (1129 | External submission

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

Submission 1129 - Supplementary Submission

National Lived Experience Commission

commissioner@nlec.au | nlec.au

Registered Australian Charity | ABN 79 919 184 486 | Listed on the ACNC Charity Register

Supplementary Addendum to Submission 1129

Committee: Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Inquiry: National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Original submission: Submission 1129, published 18 June 2026

This addendum:       19 June 2026 | Implementation Readiness, Thriving Kids and No-Loss Transition Safeguards

Purpose of This Addendum

The National Lived Experience Commission provides this short addendum to Submission 1129 following the Committee’s Second Progress Report of 19 June 2026, which requests a further extension to report until 23 June 2026 to allow the Committee to further consider evidence received. NLEC does not seek to duplicate its original submission. This addendum addresses one issue that has sharpened since Submission 1129 was published: implementation readiness.

The Central Unresolved Issue — Implementation Readiness

Since Submission 1129 was published, the central unresolved issue has sharpened. The question is no longer merely whether replacement systems have been announced. The question is whether the systems expected to receive people moved away from the NDIS are legally clear, operational, funded, locally available and capable of providing actual support.

Funding announcements are not implementation readiness. The announcement of a programme does not mean that programme is designed, legislated, funded across all jurisdictions, locally available, affordable, workforce-backed or independently assessed. Evidence before the inquiry indicates that the receiving systems are not yet ready to provide equivalent supports to people who are exited from the NDIS. NLEC submits that the Committee should address this gap explicitly in its report.

State and Territory Warning — No Like-for-Like Replacement

Evidence before the inquiry indicates that the receiving systems are not ready. Reports of evidence from state and territory disability ministers indicate that alternative supports are not yet clearly defined, that there is a risk of unmet need and cost shifting to health, education and justice systems, and that states and territories are not in a position — and have made no agreement — to deliver like-for-like services to people who are exited from the NDIS.

This concern is also consistent with recent public statements by the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, which has warned that no person should lose support before new arrangements are fully operational, accessible and affordable. NLEC notes this alignment without implying that AFDO endorses NLEC’s submission or its specific recommendations.

NLEC Implementation Readiness Test — Seven Criteria

No NDIS access or support reduction should occur unless alternative supports satisfy all of the following:

Fully designed and publicly documented — the replacement support is described in publicly available policy, programme guidelines or legislation
Legally clear — eligibility criteria, entitlements, review rights and appeal pathways are established in law or binding policy
Fully funded — Commonwealth, state and territory funding is committed, appropriated and sufficient to meet projected demand
Locally available — services are accessible in the person’s community, including rural, regional and remote areas
Affordable — no new out-of-pocket costs are imposed that would create a barrier to access for people on low incomes
Workforce-backed — a trained, sufficient and locally available workforce exists to deliver the support

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No-Loss Transition Safeguard (Additional Recommendation)

The Committee recommend that no NDIS access or support reduction occur unless and until alternative supports are R5 demonstrably operational, locally available, affordable, nationally consistent, rights-compatible and independently assessed through lived-experience evidence. This safeguard should be legislated, not merely stated in policy, and should be subject to independent monitoring and public reporting.

Closing Statement

NLEC does not oppose the principle that the NDIS should be sustainable and well-governed. NLEC’s concern is sequencing, safeguard design and the need to ensure that no person is moved from the NDIS into systems that are not yet operational. The Committee has an opportunity to address this concern directly in its report. NLEC respectfully urges it to do so.

Daniel Vamplew MICDA

Executive Director, National Lived Experience Commission

commissioner@nlec.au | nlec.au

Registered Australian Charity | ABN 79 919 184 486 | Listed on the ACNC Charity Register

Supplementary Addendum to Submission 1129 | NDIS Amendment Bill 2026 | Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee | 19 June 2026 | commissioner@nlec.au | nlec.au |