National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1321
Submission regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
I am making this submission as an independent support worker currently working with several NDIS participants with varying disabilities and support needs.
I strongly oppose many of the changes proposed in the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026. From my experience working directly with disabled Australians, I believe these changes will make life harder for people who are already struggling to access appropriate support, navigate complex systems, and participate fully in their communities.
The NDIS was introduced with the promise of choice and control for people living with disability. Many of the proposed changes appear to move away from those principles and instead place more barriers, more stress, and more uncertainty onto participants and their families.
One of my biggest concerns is the increased use of automated decision making and artificial intelligence within the system. Disability is not something that can be properly assessed by rigid systems or automated processes. People’s support needs are complex, personal, and often fluctuate over time. A computer system cannot understand the reality of trauma, mental illness, communication difficulties, social isolation, executive functioning issues, or the day to day impact disability has on a person’s life. Decisions that affect somebody’s access to essential supports should involve proper human oversight and individual consideration.
I am also concerned about the lack of genuine consultation and the short timeframe given for responses to such a large and important Bill. Support workers, carers, and participants are already stretched thin. Most of us are spending our time trying to support people through an already difficult and confusing system. It is unreasonable to expect the disability community to produce detailed submissions on legislation of this scale within such limited timeframes.
The proposed reduction or restriction of supports will have serious consequences for many participants. Since these changes were announced, I have already seen increased anxiety, fear, and distress among people I support. Many participants rely heavily on their funded supports not only for practical assistance, but also for social connection, emotional stability, routine, and community participation.
Community access and social participation are not optional extras. They are essential parts of a person’s mental health and wellbeing. Some of the people I support would have very little human interaction outside of support workers and organised activities. Reducing these supports risks increasing isolation, depression, anxiety, and long term health issues. It sends the message that disabled people are not valued as equal members of the community.
I am particularly concerned about proposed rules around participants becoming “not contactable” or losing access to supports because they are unable to engage
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1321
with administrative processes. Many people living with disability already struggle with paperwork, communication, mental health issues, unstable living situations, or periods of crisis. Cutting off supports because somebody cannot keep up with a complicated system will only place vulnerable people at greater risk.
I am also concerned about changes to eligibility and assessments. The NDIS already supports only a portion of Australians living with disability, and there are already major gaps in services outside the scheme. The government continues to refer to “foundational supports”, however many of these services do not currently exist or are already severely underfunded. Shifting people away from the NDIS without properly funded alternative supports will leave many disabled Australians without the help they need.
There are also concerns around the level of power being handed to government and ministers to make broad funding decisions that impact large groups of disabled people at once. Disability is not a one size fits all issue. Different people require different supports, and blanket restrictions fail to recognise the diversity of participant needs and lived experiences.
Another issue is the proposed restriction on rolling over funding. Disability support needs can change significantly throughout the year depending on a person’s health, mental state, living situation, seasonal conditions, or unexpected life events. Flexibility is important because participants do not live predictable lives.
From my professional experience, these changes will not improve the lives of disabled Australians. In many cases, they will increase stress, isolation, administrative burden, and the risk of people falling through the cracks altogether.
I ask the Committee to genuinely listen to participants, carers, frontline workers, and people with lived experience of disability before progressing these changes. The long term sustainability of the NDIS is important, but it should not come at the expense of disabled Australians losing essential supports, independence, dignity, and connection to their communities.