National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1161
25 May 2026
To whom it may concern
Re: Submission on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment
I am writing as the Aunty of , my 23-year-old niece who lives with severe intellectual disability and depends on the NDIS for the support that allows her to participate in life beyond the walls of her home. My niece is non-verbal, incontinent, and needs assistance with every part of daily living. She is a much-loved member of our family, and while her needs are complex, her joy in being with other people and engaging with the world around her is very real.
I appreciate that the Government must consider the long-term sustainability of the NDIS, and I support efforts to protect the Scheme for future generations. But in doing so, I ask that the Committee keep clearly in view the lives of people with profound and permanent disability, for whom these supports are not optional extras. They are the difference between a life that includes connection, routine, stimulation, and dignity, and one that becomes increasingly isolated and restricted.
My greatest concern is the proposed reduction in social and community participation funding from October 2026. For my niece, and for many others with severe intellectual disability, this funding is what makes it possible to attend a day program, spend time with others, experience the community, and maintain a sense of routine and belonging. Without it, the loss would not simply be financial. It would mean fewer opportunities to leave home, fewer relationships, fewer experiences, and a smaller, narrower life.
Support for people with disability must be based on what they need to live safely and participate meaningfully. In my niece’s case, one-to-one support is essential. It is what allows her to be out in the community safely and with dignity. Without that level of assistance, she cannot simply continue with fewer supports; she would lose access to many of the activities and interactions that give shape and value to her life.
If this funding is reduced, the effect on my niece will be immediate and deeply felt. She is a social young woman who enjoys being with people, but she cannot maintain those connections without support. The result will be more time at home, fewer opportunities to participate, and a greater sense of separation from the community around her. It will also place even more pressure on her parents, who already carry an enormous caring load each day through personal care, supervision, meals, routines, and every aspect of her ongoing support.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1161
I therefore respectfully ask the Committee to ensure that any changes to social and community participation funding do not unfairly affect people with moderate, severe, or profound disability whose support needs are lifelong and substantial. For these participants, such funding is not peripheral. It is central to whether they can live with inclusion, dignity, and a genuine connection to the world beyond their home.
The NDIS was created to give people with disability the chance to live fuller, more connected lives. For those with the highest needs, reducing essential participation supports risks taking away exactly what the Scheme was meant to protect. I urge the Committee to consider not only the financial dimension of these reforms, but also the human cost of decisions that could leave vulnerable people more isolated, more restricted, and less visible in the community.
Thank you for considering this submission and, above all, for considering the lived reality of people with significant disability and the families who support them every day.
Yours sincerely,