National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1286
28 May 2026
To: Committee Secretary, Community Affairs Legislation Committee Re: Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Dear Committee Secretary,
I am writing this submission as someone with lived experience of disability, caring responsibilities, long-term reliance on support systems, and eventual return to workforce participation due to the stability and capacity-building supports my family received.
For me, the NDIS and related supports were never about luxury or unnecessary services. They were about survival, stability, participation, and the opportunity to build a future. I spent approximately 11 years on the pension while raising my twin sons and navigating significant challenges within our family. During that time, support systems played an important role in helping us maintain stability and eventually move forward.
Today, both of my sons are in the workforce, and I have also been able to return to work myself. Without those supports, I genuinely fear that all three of us may have remained dependent on welfare systems long-term.
Instead, we became contributing members of society and the workforce. This is why I feel deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the NDIS Act and the potential reduction of supports for vulnerable Australians.
I do not believe the broader public fully understands what disability supports actually achieve. People often reduce the conversation to isolated examples or view supports as optional extras, when in reality these supports help people: • remain in employment, • access education, • build independence, • reduce mental health decline, • participate in community life, • and avoid long-term crisis situations.
I am particularly concerned about what may happen if social, community, and capacity-building supports are reduced or removed.
Without these supports: • many carers may be forced to leave the workforce, • families may become increasingly reliant on welfare, • mental health outcomes may deteriorate, • children may struggle to participate meaningfully in education, • and pressure on healthcare, emergency, and social systems may increase significantly.
pg. 1
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1286
I am also concerned about the proposed changes relating to the definition of “permanence” and the expectation that participants attempt all available treatments before qualifying for support. Many treatments are financially inaccessible, unavailable in regional areas, unsuitable for certain individuals, or unrealistic for families already under significant emotional and financial strain.
I am particularly concerned about the implication that people may feel pressured to pursue treatments they do not want, cannot tolerate, cannot safely access, or do not believe are appropriate for them in order to maintain eligibility for support. People should have the right to make informed decisions about their own healthcare and treatment pathways without fear of judgement, coercion, or having essential supports removed.
One-size-fits-all approaches to disability, treatment, and recovery are not appropriate. Every individual’s circumstances, medical history, capacity, risks, and personal choices are different. Mandatory or indirectly pressured medical treatment pathways can be harmful and may create additional trauma, distress, or adverse outcomes for vulnerable people.
I worry these changes may create further barriers for people seeking support, while also delaying access to early intervention and capacity-building services that can significantly improve long-term outcomes.
My experience has shown me that appropriate support at the right time can completely change the trajectory of a family’s future. Without those supports, people do not simply “cope without them.” Often, the burden shifts elsewhere: • onto unpaid carers, • hospitals, • mental health services, • schools, • emergency systems, • and welfare systems.
I am also deeply concerned about the psychological distress these proposed changes are causing within disability communities.
Many people are expressing fear, hopelessness, and anxiety about their future and about losing supports they rely on for safety, stability, and daily functioning. There are increasing reports within community discussions of people expressing suicidal thoughts and fears about how they would survive if essential supports were removed. This should be treated as a serious public health concern. People with disability deserve dignity, security, autonomy, and meaningful inclusion within society.
pg. 2
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1286
I strongly believe reforms to the NDIS should focus first on improving administrative inefficiencies, inconsistent decision-making, unnecessary appeals, and internal waste within the system before reducing supports to participants and families who genuinely rely on them.
My family’s story is an example of what can happen when people are properly supported. The supports we received helped create a pathway toward stability, workforce participation, and greater independence.
Without those supports, I believe my family’s future could have looked very different.
I hope future reforms protect that same opportunity for other families as well.
Thank you for considering my submission.
pg. 3