Submission on National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

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

Attention:

Committee Secretary, Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs. Submitted online; date: May 28th, 2026; sender details redacted due to OCR misreading of real prose or possible redaction.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Submission 1478

reductions unreviewable (Schedule 1 Parts 1 and 8). Combined with restrictions on reassessment requests (Part 2), automatic plan renewals without review rights (Part 5), and unreviewable funding reductions (Part 4), existing participants face narrower criteria with significantly fewer avenues to challenge decisions about their supports.

How this affects participants:

The does not protect participants already on the NDIS who could be reassessed under stricter rules If someone’s funding reduced renewed automatically may have limited access challenging decision harder people get extra support when circumstances disability change The participant caring lose life needed extra support they need live.

Recommendation Require “no harm” safeguard ensuring current participant loses access unless equivalent supports in place independent review before exit decision unscheduled assessments preserved Unreviewable ministerial power cut across all categories Minister can reduce any group of specified percentage through instrument cannot challenged Schedule Part This applies budget categories funds will longer carry over at renewal Plan Part).

How this affects participants:A community participation capacity building assistive technology funding could cut warning right appeal Participants saving high-cost items ability entirely would mean person I care for lose touch her specialists, assistance that help disabilities.

Recommendation:Require fund carryover at plan renewal Participant saving high-cost items require independent review rights effect funding reduction takes.

Requirement exhaust treatment options eligibility issue A person needs disable Scheme before eligible assessment replaced by single impairment consideration previously acknowledged environmental factors ineligible impairments affect support needs removed Schedule Part).

How this affects participants People prove impairment treated before accessing NDIS Once scheme assesses against single rather whole experience individual circumstances considered including pay where living availability to them My client Scleroderma disease which requires specialised and personalised treatment Exhausting treatments does not suit the person cared risk own health well being whilst denied appropriate she needs. Recommendation: Do proceed with requirement exhaustive “appropriate” options – there are no safeguards around participant due side effects or

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

Submission 1478

complications, a participant’s financial ability to pay, or their geographic capacity to access treatments. Unvalidated functional capacity assessment tool risks misidentifying need. The issue: The Bill shifts assessment from whole-of-person consideration to a single eligible impairment (Schedule 1 Part 3). Read together with the eligibility thresholds in Parts 8 and 9, he tool used to conduct functional capacity assessments must be capable of sufficiently identifying whether a person meets the threshold for that single impairment.The named assessment tool is the Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs ( I-CAN). I-CAN requires validation o ensure it will sufficiently identify the needs of all people with disability including those whose needs may be fluctuating or episodicandmay notbe captured througha point-in-timeassessment,andtototensureitisculturallyappropriateforFirstPeopleswithdisability.How this affects participants: Ifthetool doesnotaccurately capture them full extentofaperson’sdisablementcludingneedsthatfluctuateorvaryover time,aparticipant maybe found ineligibleorthavehissupports undercounted ,witno guarantee theresul treflectstheiractual experience. This means thenpersonlcarefors could receive inadequate support,meeaning shecould have her disabilities exacerbated rather than supported.Recommendation : Do no proceed wit hIC AN as th efunctionalcapacityassess menttool unless ithas been demonstrably validatedtodentifytheneedsallpeoplewedisabilit yincludingthoseepisodiceorfluctuat ingdibility,ademonstratedtoculturaly appropriate First Peoples wih disabiltiSupportscut before replacement system i readyThe issue: From 1 October206, he government has announced funding forsoci al,civic and community participation supportswill bet cut by5 per cent and capacity building daily activitiesbypercent foral lparticipants reductions that will b implementedthrough the ministerial instrument power in Schedule Part4. The Foundational Supportssystem intended to fill that gaphas nocnfirmed implementation datean is not yet operationalHowthisaffects particpants: suppor ts help participant connect with theircommunity build skillsmaintain independence may becutbefore anything exists toreplacethem leaving carers familieswith greater responsibilities an dno additional suppo These supports are often whathelp people stay visible connectedandsafe.Connectionwitthcommunit ,building skill s,and maintainingindependenceare basic human rights.Cutting access o this means thenpersonlcarefors will have her quality of life reduced meaning thisisharmfulherwellbeing.Recommendation : Requirethat no reductionsto comm unityparticipation orcapacity builngsupports take effect untilFoundationalSupp ortsafullyoperat ionallyadequately funded ad demonstrably able meettheneeds those who lose NDIS supportThank youfor taking time read my submission.Regards,