Submission on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 - Submission 1529

Summary

I am an autistic NDIS participant. I object to this Bill’s cuts to capacity-building supports, the new powers to reduce whole categories of support,the stricter treatmentand eligibility tests,andthe removalofreview rights.These changes threatentheweekly occupational therapy anda nd will harmautistic people.I ask Parliamentto protectindividualisedclinically-assessedsupports therighttorefusetreatmentwithoutlosingeligibility ,an dtheright toreview .

Requestfor confidentiality I request thatmy name be withheld from publication.This submission contains personal information aboutm y healthanda disabilitythatIdo no wish tobepublically associated with m identity.Idam happytoprovidemy contact details t o Committee butasktha nypublished version not identify me.

Whoiam

Im alevel autist ic woman anda NDISparticipant.Im writing toobjecttoseveral parts oft hisBill th atwillharmmeandoth erautisticpeople.

WhatthisBiltakesfrommi e Ireceive weeklyoccupationaltherapyandanpsychology. These suppor ts have madeenormous difference tom my life.They arenot generic services,theyarebuiltaroundhow Imactuallyfunction,h owicommunicate,a nd howmautisminteractswithmychronichalthconditions an dw ith hormon alchangeswhich affect autistic women inways tha st illpoor lyunderstood andre ar ely captured bystandardis edassessments.T hesesupports hav helped me,and theywil lkeephelping me.Without themIwouldlose capacity Ihaveworkedhardto buildandmyfamily wouldcarrythe costincludingtherealpossibilit yt hatmyhusbandwoul dhave to reduc hispaidworkt osupport mi .

Myconcernsand ho w theylinktot he BillThe 10% reductiontocapacitybuildingdaily activitysupports (Schedule Part4).This cut is applied throughaministerial determinationacrossawholecategory,n ot based onm y individual needs ,an din not subjecttomeritsreview.CBD Aisthefunds m OT and psychology.Aclass-widecut decidedatthesystemlevel isth oppos ite of whatth enDISwasmeanttod o which i s fund supportsbasedont hemi ndividualperson.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Submission: Submission-1529 The broader mechanism to reduce supports (new s34A and s33(2EA)). This means therapy supports like mine could be reduced or capped. The Minister power gives funding reduction authority, support intensity ratios set maximum amounts.

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

Submission 1529 treatment” must account for a person’s reasonable, informed choices about their own body. Supports must not be cut by separating autism from mental health (Schedule 1, Part 3, new s34(1)(aa)). The Bill requires supports to arise “directly” from the impairment that meets access criteria. For autistic people, this is dangerous. Autism and mental healthcannot be cleanly separated! anxiety, depression and distress often arisefrom beingautisticinaworldthatdoesnotaccommodateus.My psychologysupports measan autisticonperson; it isnotaseparate“mentalhealth”servicethatcanbecarvedoff.I amconcernedthattthisprovisionwillbeusedtocutsupportsonthebasisofan artificialdistinction thadoesnothereflecthowautismactuallyworks. Plan suspensionfor notasansingcontact(newS40A).TheBillletstheAgency suspenda participant’splanif“reasonable attempts”to contactthemhavebeenmadeand theydon’trespondwithparticipantstatusabletoberevokedafter90days.Thereison requirementforthetocontacttomadeintheparticipant’spreferredoraccessibleway Manyautisticpeopleincludingme,donotanswercallsfromunknownnumbers .Thisisa disability-relatedcommunicationdifference:notarelusaltonengage.Underthis provisiontheadgencycouldcallfromunanidentifiednumber,sendaletterthatarrives late,andsuspendmyplaniwhiletheno-dayclockrunswithoutmeknowing.Theremust berequirementthatcontactattemptsusethewparticiant’sstatedaesible communicationmethod. Thisisanattackonautistic people.Autism isthelargestgroup in theNDIS,socuts andtighterthresholdsfallhardestonus.The newfunctionalcapacitydefinitionin S9B requiresassessment “ina setting thatexcludesasfar aspossible,theimpact of thenperson’senvironmentalandpersonalcircumstances.”For autisticpeopelfunction iscompletely tied to environment.InacalmaccommodatedsettingIcansometimes function.IinaloudunpredictabledemandingoneIncannot.Assessing autisticon peopl easaifevironmentdoesn’tmatterwillsystematicallyunderestimateourneeds. Theright toreviewmustbeprotected.ManyofthecutsinthisBillsupport determinationsandplanrenewalsarespecificallynotsubjectto meritsreview Participants mustbeabletoketheabilitytotakeadisputeddecisiontotothe AdministrativeReviewTribunal Removing review rights leavespeoplewithno waytocallenge decisions thathseriously affecttheir lives.

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

Submission 1529

Professional opinion must come first. A planner does not have the clinical skill of an occupational therapist or psychologist, and does not know me the way my treating professionals do. The opinions of doctors and allied health professionals who actually assess and work with me must be prioritised above a planner applying a rule or a tool. Decisions about complex needs must not be automated or reduced to a tick-box. What I want Parliament to do: I want Parliament to:• reverse the reductions to capacity building and community participationsupports;

• remove or substantially limit the ministerial powers to reduce or cap whole categories of supports, including therapy; ensure functional capacity and support needs assessments are done by appropriately qualified allied health professionals, and their clinical opinions should prioritize over planner decision;prohibit automatic eligibility funding decisions require human oversight; remove requirement undertake all appropriate treatment without regard whether is accessible person ensure people don’t undergo they reasonably refuse —including risky harmful that objection order keep eligibility; supports autistic people cut artificially separating autism from co-existing mental health needsrequire contact before plan suspended uses participant’s stated communication method; enable access narrow autistic others fluctuating need protect right seek review at Administrative Review Tribunal. Please take away those supports allowed live life Thank you for considering submission.