National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1377
Parliamentary Submission – Cuts to NDIS
I am writing to make a submission regarding the proposed changes to the NDIS Act.
The NDIS is essential to my daily life. It provides me with the mobility supports and access to therapy in the community that allow me to function, maintain independence, and participate in society, including maintaining employment. Without these supports, even basic activities would become significantly more difficult and, in some cases, unsafe.
Mobility support is not optional for me—it enables me to leave my home, attend appointments, and engage in work and community life. It also allows me to manage the additional logistical and financial challenges associated with maintaining employment while living with a disability. Reducing or restricting these supports would directly impact my ability to remain employed and independent.
Access to therapy in the community is equally important. These supports are not just about treatment—they help maintain function, prevent deterioration, and support my ability to continue working and participating in everyday life. Community-based therapy is particularly valuable because it builds practical, real-world skills that cannot always be developed in clinical settings alone.
I am concerned that the proposed changes risk limiting access to both mobility supports and community-based therapies. These are not optional supports—they are foundational to maintaining stability, independence, and employment. Removing or reducing them would likely lead to increased long-term costs, both for individuals and the broader system.
If my social and community supports were reduced or removed, I would experience increased isolation and reduced ability to participate in daily life. These supports help maintain routine, connection, and overall wellbeing, all of which are essential for sustaining employment and independence.
Capacity-building supports, including therapy, are critical in allowing me to maintain my current level of functioning and avoid regression. Without them, there is a real risk of losing the progress I have made, which would ultimately increase reliance on more intensive supports.
I am also concerned about the proposed changes to the definition of “permanence.” Expecting individuals to try all available treatments before being considered eligible does not reflect the reality that many treatments are unaffordable, inaccessible, or unsuitable. A definition that does not take these barriers into account risks excluding people who genuinely need support.
More broadly, these changes appear to focus on reducing costs by limiting access to supports, rather than addressing known issues such as fraud and misuse within the system. While sustainability is important, it is difficult to see how reducing essential supports for participants addresses the root causes of rising costs.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 1377
Overall, these proposed changes feel like a shift away from the original purpose of the NDIS—to provide reasonable and necessary supports so people with disabilities can live independently and participate fully in society, including through employment.
I urge the committee to consider the real human impact of these changes. The NDIS is not just a system—it is what makes independence, participation, and employment possible for people like me.
Thank you for considering my submission.