National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 1438

Submission regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

I am an NDIS participant with psychosocial disability and I am concerned about aspects of this bill that may reduce access to supports for community participation and independent living.

I live alone and rely heavily on support workers to safely access the community. Without support workers, I am largely housebound due to severe anxiety and related mental health impacts. My family are no longer in a position to provide consistent informal support. My father is elderly and unable to drive long distances, while my sisters both care for children with additional needs and have significant responsibilities of their own.

I am concerned by provisions in the bill that place greater emphasis on functional capacity while excluding environmental and personal circumstances from consideration. In practice, psychosocial disabilities are often heavily influenced by context and environment. A person may physically be able to complete a task, but psychologically be unable to do so safely or consistently without support.

I am also concerned about provisions encouraging reliance on informal supports and community networks instead of funded supports. In my case, informal supports are limited and already stretched beyond capacity.

Community access supports are not recreational or luxury supports for me. They are part of maintaining my mental health, independence, and functional capacity. I am not using supports for shopping trips or social outings in the ordinary sense. These outings are often forms of gradual exposure therapy recommended by my treating professionals. They help prevent isolation, deterioration, and loss of independence.

Living in a small regional town also limits available services and opportunities. Supported outings help me build confidence, maintain daily living skills, and access essential activities that I would otherwise avoid entirely due to anxiety. Without these supports, I would likely become increasingly isolated and unable to manage basic tasks such as grocery shopping or attending appointments.

I ask the committee to carefully consider the impact of these reforms on participants with psychosocial disabilities, particularly those whose impairments fluctuate or are strongly affected by environmental and social circumstances.

I am concerned that narrowing the definition of supports and reducing funding for community participation may unintentionally increase isolation, crisis presentations, and long-term dependence rather than improving outcomes or sustainability.

I am also concerned about the proposed changes relating to appropriate treatment and permanence of impairment.

As someone living in a rural area on the Disability Support Pension, my access to services, transport, specialists, and treatment options is already limited by geography and cost of living pressures.

Psychosocial disabilities also do not respond safely to forced participation or overwhelming treatment approaches. In my experience, gradual and supported exposure is beneficial, while being pushed beyond my limits can lead to severe deterioration and mental health crises.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 1438

I am concerned that these provisions may not adequately reflect the realities of living with psychosocial disability, particularly in rural communities where access to services is inconsistent or limited.

Thank you for considering my submission.