National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1297
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Dear Senate Committee,
I am a NDIS participant and I am extremely concerned about the proposed changes contained in the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026.
I am autistic, and my current NDIS plan has changed my life. Through the NDIS I access essential supports including occupational therapy, psychology, exercise physiology, and support workers who assist me with daily living tasks, household responsibilities, attending medical appointments, and accessing the community such as the gym and swimming pool.
The NDIS has fundamentally changed my life. With appropriate supports in place, I have been able to complete two university degrees, become employed in a highly skilled profession, and live independently as a young adult. These are outcomes that would not have been possible without adequate disability support. The NDIS has allowed me to participate in society in the same way many other young adults are able to. It has given me independence, purpose, and a future. Prior to receiving adequate funding, I was severely isolated and burnt out. I struggled to participate in the community, attend appointments, maintain my health, and continue my studies.
The current discussion surrounding NDIS reform often focuses heavily on costs and budget savings, but there is far less discussion about the long-term consequences of reducing supports for disabled people. Supports such as social and community participation and capacity building are frequently framed as optional or non-essential. In reality, these supports are often what prevent isolation, mental health decline, unemployment, hospitalisation, and carer burnout.
The proposed reductions to social and community participation funding would have a devastating impact on my life. These supports are not luxuries. They are what allow me to attend medical appointments, maintain my physical health through exercise, and participate in society in a sustainable way. Removing or reducing these supports would significantly reduce my independence and increase my isolation.
I ask decision-makers to consider how they would feel if they were repeatedly told that social connection, community access, exercise, and independence were unnecessary or wasteful. These supports are essential to quality of life and long-term wellbeing.
Reducing these supports would also negatively impact my mental health and likely increase my reliance on already overwhelmed mental health services that are often not well equipped to support neurodivergent people. In the long term, these changes may simply shift costs into other systems rather than create genuine savings.
I am also deeply concerned about the increased use of automated assessment processes and standardised criteria. Disability is complex, particularly for people with fluctuating capacity. Functional capacity assessments have traditionally been completed by trained allied health professionals, such as occupational therapists, who understand the nuances of disability and support needs. Replacing this with automated systems or assessments completed by staff without appropriate clinical training creates a significant risk of harm. The disability community has already expressed serious concerns about the current planning and reassessment process. These concerns should be listened to, not ignored.
The proposed changes to the definition of “permanence” are also alarming. Requiring people to exhaust all possible treatments before qualifying for support is unrealistic and harmful. Some treatments are inaccessible due to cost or location, particularly for people living outside metropolitan areas.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1297
Additionally, there are disabilities, including autism, where there is no treatment or cure. These changes reflect an outdated understanding of disability.
I understand the importance of ensuring the NDIS is financially sustainable. However, sustainability should not come at the expense of disabled people’s safety, independence, and dignity. There are many other ways the government could reduce unnecessary spending without cutting essential supports from participants. This includes addressing fraud, reducing price gouging, improving oversight of invoices, and ensuring support workers are appropriately trained and qualified. These measures would protect both participants and the integrity of the scheme.
If my supports were reduced, it would directly impact my ability to work and remain independent. The NDIS helped me complete my studies and build a pathway toward employment. Reducing supports now risks undoing years of progress and would likely increase my reliance on other government systems such as the Disability Support Pension.
Capacity building supports are not optional extras. They are investments that allow disabled people to build skills, participate in the workforce, maintain health, and reduce long-term reliance on crisis services and informal care. Removing these supports may create short-term savings on paper, but the long-term human and economic costs will be far greater.
These cuts would also place additional pressure on families and unpaid carers. One of the most meaningful outcomes of receiving appropriate support has been the ability to have a healthier adult relationship with my parents rather than relying on them primarily as carers. Losing these supports would fundamentally change that dynamic.
The NDIS has allowed me to build an adult life with greater independence, dignity, and stability. I urge the Senate to carefully consider the real-world impact these proposed changes may have on disabled Australians and ensure that disabled people remain meaningfully involved in decisions that affect their lives.
Your Sincerely,