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

Submission 1491

Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

( Securing the NDIS for Future Generations ) Bill 2026

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this submission. I am writing as a mum of a deaf child on the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland. I am very concerned about the proposed NDIS Amendment Bill 2026.

I am deeply concerned about the Thriving Kids initiative. While I believe my child will most likely remain on the NDIS Scheme, all of our local paediatric therapists are concerned that their businesses may not survive once Thriving Kids is implemented, which would effectively leave us without support as well.

My deaf child is additionally diagnosed with having no functioning vestibular system (balance system in the ear) and a neurological language disorder (Childhood Apraxia of Speech). Our speech therapist is highly specialised, and no one else in this area would be able to support my child with the correct and specialised speech therapy approach. If we lose these specialised therapists, we will lose our lifeline.

When my child was born, specialists told me that my child would not be able to walk and may not talk. Through specialised early childhood intervention from our OT, our specialised CAS speech therapist, our Auslan deaf mentor and a vestibular physiotherapist, my child has proved those prognoses wrong.

I truly believe that my child will live an independent life and contribute to society because of the supports that were put in place early. Please protect this support for my child, as well as for future children with a similar prognosis.

In addition, for deaf children, access to Auslan, Deaf mentors, interpreting, captioning, family language supports, assistive technology, and communication access is essential. These supports help children develop language, connect with family, participate safely, build confidence, and access everyday life. My deaf child has developed a strong connection with their siblings because our children were able to learn Auslan together as a language accessible to the whole family.

I am concerned that the Bill could make it easier for supports to be delayed, reduced, or removed, or for families to be told that technology, parental responsibility, or another system should meet the child’s access needs.

Deaf children cannot wait through long reviews while language access is reduced or removed. Language development is time-critical, and delays can cause lasting harm.

Please support amendments and safeguards that protect deaf children’s access to language, choice, and communication.

Kind regards,

A Mum from The Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland