National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1331
To whom it may concern, I am making this submission as an independent support worker (sole trader), working with several people with disabilities for 3+ years now, all of whom will be negatively affected if the changes proposed in this Bill are made. I am very concerned to read of the changes proposed in the NDIS Amendment Bill, because of the negative impacts this will have on the already difficult lives of NDIS participants in Australia. This submission will address the concerns I have with particular sections of the bill. I oppose this bill because of the negative impact this will have on disabled people and the immediate harm this is causing my clients with proposed cuts in current funding overall, funding for coordinators and plan managers, and possible registration hurdles for independent support workers like myself. I generally disagree with the governments intent to reduce funding on the NDIS as the NDIS is already weighed down with bureaucracy and working inefficiently, this bill requires extra work that will make most likely make things worse. My main concerns are regarding:
Administrative burden - Not enough time was given to respond to this bill. I am busy helping disabled participants who are already struggling, it is very difficult to fit in making a detailed and thorough submission to a huge and impactful bill, Loss or reduction of supports - I am concerned about my clients welfare and ability to navigate the proposed changes, as well as the overall negative affect it could have on their care, especially if many independent support workers are forced out of the scheme due to registration and audit costs. Most of my client have chosen independent support workers instead of agency supports, as they have claimed we give a higher and better overall standard of care, in their long term experience. Community participation - Reducing this funding overall suggests the government does not value disabled people as members of the community, social inclusion and reducing isolation is essential for health outcomes, cutting this funding would have drastic impacts on participants mental health and wellbeing, all people deserve the opportunity to be a part of their community, regardless of their level of disability, so insensitive and cruel of an ableist government to take away essential supports shows complete lack of understanding of the experience of people with disabilities who are already so isolated. Eligibility or assessment changes - There is already a low percentage of people with disabilities access the scheme, the bill will make it harder for disabled people to get support, when there is already a severe lack of services available, the government has not planned for what replacement services will be, these do not exist currently, lack of understanding of the scope of individual disability and co- occuring conditions. Funding/ministerial powers - To much power given to people without lived experience of disability, to much power given to the government to make inhumane decisions, reducing funding for an entire group of supports at once ignores the diversity of peoples disabilities. I advocate to include decision makers that are disabled and have experience in that world, in order to have a more fair and balanced approach.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1331