National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1164
Senate Inquiry
NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
26-05-2026
I am a carer for two people with severe disability, both on the NDIS.
PART 1 – EXPENSE CONTROL ITEMS
1 I have no objection to measures designed to reduce fraud, or improve the operating efficiency of the NDIS
2 There is a proposed legislative change as follows:
60 Paragraph 3(1)(d). Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(d) provide NDIS supports for participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme that are reasonable and necessary, so far as is consistent with the financial sustainability of the scheme;
3 We could propose that for legislation relating to education:
“The Commonwealth and States will provide schooling for Australian children so far as is consistent with the financial sustainability of schooling
4 We could propose that for legislation relating to defence:
“The Commonwealth will create and maintain a defence force for Australia so far as is consistent with the financial sustainability of military expenditure
5 The clause “so far as is consistent with the financial sustainability of the scheme”
could be applied to ANY Commonwealth outlays. To apply this to the NDIS Act alone, is discriminatory.
In the light of the above, there is no justification for this clause. It should be abolished!
PART 2 – THE AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION 1900
6 The primary purpose of the government, as authorised by the Constitution, is to maintain “peace, order and good government” for the nation.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1164
PART 3 – REVENUE RAISING MATTERS
7 The government’s thinking in relation to the NDIS Amendment Bill 2026 is focused primarily on cost reduction.
It may in fact be that, other than fraud and gross inefficiencies (if/where they occur), the costs of the NDIS are in fact fully justified because they reflect the true level of demand for disability services in Australia.
Thinking about this in cost-reduction terms alone is narrow, limited, siloed thinking.
The alternative approach is not to cut costs, but for the Commonwealth to raise revenues to the extent necessary to fully cover the costs of the NDIS, and thereby, meet the needs of Australians with severe disability. Two examples follow:
8 The mining industry in Australia is reported to be 86% foreign owned1.
In the financial year to June 2025, it is reported that the Commonwealth paid diesel fuel subsidies of $3.36 billion to mining companies2.
That is a transfer of almost $3 billion directly to foreign shareholders in mining companies operating in Australia – with zero benefit to the people of Australia. Furthermore, by facilitating diesel use, the Commonwealth, through climate damage, is sabotaging the wellbeing of future generations of Australians.
This is a fundamental breach of the constitutional statement “good government for the nation”.
What is required: Legislation that:
i) terminates ALL diesel fuel subsidies to the mining industry on 30 June 2027;
ii) from 1 July 2028, introduces a diesel fuel levy for the mining industry of 2 cents /litre, rising by 2 cents/litre per year for the following 10 years.
9 Australian minerals and underground gas reserves are owned by the Australian people. Yet Australian gas is exported by foreign multinationals with very little return to the nation. Norway charges a tax of up to 78% on oil and gas industry profits3. If Australia was to introduce 25% levy on gas exports, it is estimated that that would raise $17 billion per year4.
1 https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/australias-small-mining-industry/ 2 https://climateenergyfinance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MINING-GIANTS-POCKET-3.36bn-IN- DIESEL-HANDOUTS-AS-AUSTRALIANS-NOW-BEAR-BRUNT-OF-OIL-PRICE-CRISIS.pdf 3 https://www.afr.com/companies/mining/what-norway-s-3trn-wealth-fund-can-teach-australia-about-gas-taxes- 20260416-p5zo9n 4 https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/gas_export_tax_b
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1164
10 It is not sufficient for the Commonwealth to think only in terms of cost cutting for the NDIS. It is essential, also, for the government to raise additional revenues.
The above examples, together, would raise about $20 billion per year for Australia, which could be used not only to fund the NDIS, but other worthwhile social welfare projects.
This is exactly what any competent government would do. And, if the government is lobbied by industry vested interests, the government must develop strategies to block and counter such lobbying. It is not the role of multinational corporations to determine policy for Australia
If the government is not taking these steps, the problem changes: from one of funding the NDIS, to one of dealing with a government that, by failing to raise additional revenues, is failing to provide “peace, order and good government for the nation.”