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

Submission 1588 Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Committee Secretary,

Re: NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 - Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs inquiry

I welcome the opportunity to make a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs about the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026.

I am a father and carer of an [NDIS participant], my [age]-year-old daughter with ASD level \([level]\). She has been diagnosed as Autistic.

The harm that will be caused if this amendment bill passes Parliament includes:

• The short timeline creates insurmountable barriers due to constant care responsibilities; I wrote at (\text{AM}), leaving me zero daylight hours, which is insufficient time considering accessibility needs;
• People in need are excluded from making decisions affecting them directly. This process should allow adequate time alongside daily care duties,

Parliamentary Scrutiny and Transparency

The consultation period set by two weeks does not meet minimum requirements according to Australian Government Guide Policy Impact Analysis recommending no less than thirty days where possible.consultation. The short timeframe poses significant challenges especially when it comes down to providing continuous support for families like mine who have children requiring such assistance every day without exception.

Recommendation: Amend consulting periods so they reach best practice standards within approximately three months or more depending upon specific circumstances involved.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Submission

Submission ID:

The issue:

The Bill allows Ministers to change eligibility thresholds related to accessing NDIsS Support through Schedule One Parts Eighteen and Nineteen. It also enables them to alter how much funding individuals receive via Schedule Four of Part Three without parliamentary scrutiny, as well as making critical eligibility threshold determinations in Schedule One parts one eight nine which are yet unwritten.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Submission 1588

under a standardised reassessment process, and I deeply fear the loss of her NDIS plan and the crucial supports that sustain her development and growing independence.

Recommendation: Require a “no harm” safeguard ensuring no current participant loses access to supports unless equivalent supports are in place, together independent review rights before any exit decision and access to unscheduled reassessments preserved.

Unreviewable ministerial power to cut funding across all support categories

The Minister can reduce funding for any support or group of supports by specified percentage through an instrument not challenged(Schedule 1Part4). This applies budget categories.Unspent funds will longer carry over at plan renewal.(Schedul e1part).How this effects: participants A participant’s community participation capacity building assistive technology could without warning appeal.Participants who save unspent funds across periods high-cost items lose ability entirely.Force vulnerable people navigate complex hostile bureaucracy fewer rights strips them both power dignity completely with purpose scheme family creates terrifying imbalance leaving avenue defend daughter’s funding protect established therapy team securing future.Recommendation: Require that unspent funds carryover at plan renewal participants saving high-cost items require independent review rights before effect.

Requirement exhaust treatment options eligibility

Issue person disability need exhaustion treatment options eligible Scheme (Schedule Part8) removal whole-person assessment replaced single impairment consideration Schedule part3 note previously acknowledged environmental factors other ineligible impairments affect needs removed.Scheduleshow affects: participants Peoplewithdisability prove their cannot be treated before they NDIS Once the scheme,theirsupports only assessed against a single eligible rather than

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Submission 1588

their whole experience. A person’s individual circumstances will not be considered, including ability to pay for treatment where they live or whether treatment can actually available them.

Recommendation:

do not exhaust “appropriate” options – there are safeguarding measures around participant harm due side effects complications financial ability geographic access treatments.

Unvalidated Functional Capacity Assessment Tool Risks Misidentifying Need

The issue The Bill shifts from whole-of-person consideration single eligible impairment Schedule Part . Read together eligibility thresholds Parts , must capable identifying threshold that single impairment. The named instrument Classification Support Needs (I CAN). Requires validation ensure sufficiently identifies needs all people disability including whose may be fluctuating episodes captured through point-in-time assessment ensures cultural appropriateness first peoples disabilities. How this affects participants If tool does not accurately capture full extent a person’s disability includes needs which vary over time participant found ineligible support undercounted guarantee result reflects actual experience As family managing hidden’ such as Autism alongside ADHD rigid standardised administered assessor who lacks appropriate expertise risks missing nuanced and fluctuations daily lives Without input qualified allied health professional with child development without considering her context daughter risk being inaccurately assessed resulting significant underfunding or no funding at all serious consequences developmental trajectory capacity independence. # Recommendation:do proceed I-CAN functional capacity identification needs of all people disability episodic fluctuation culturally First Peoples disabled.

Supports cut before replacement system is ready

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

Submission 1588

The issue:

From October 1st 2023, not Oct ’26 as stated in text. The Government announced funding cuts effective immediately, specifically reducing social/civic/community participation funds by 50% daily activities capacity building support by -10%', applied universally across all participants through ministerial power Schedule Part4. Foundational Supports intended gap filler remains unconfirmed and non-operational yet.

How this affects participants:

Supports aiding community connection/skills development/independence may be cut prematurely without replacement systems established, carers/families left with greater responsibilities but no additional assistance. These supports often help people stay visible/connected-safe.

Imposing sweeping arbitrary reductions to these areas unjustly sabotages progress toward independence our family achieved so hard; it will cause immense harm/neglect among broader NDIS participant base due isolation neglect.

Recommendation: Require that no such reductions take effect until Foundational Support is fully operational, adequately funded & demonstrably meets needs of those losing current NDIS support.

Expanded definition of ‘parental responsibility’

The Issue: Bill broadens parental responsibility legal presumption requiring substantial unpaid care/support beyond typical age-appropriate level including supervision/personal transport/emotional behavioral support. The NDIA cannot fund if primary purpose reduces parent burden.

How it impacts participants:

• Reduced Funding: Fewer hours for therapies/transport/daily personal care funding reduced.
• Higher Family Burden: Parents absorb more complex specialized care themselves.
• Increased Evidence Burden: Families must submit intensive medical reports proving child’s needs exceed ‘typical’ parenting requirements.
• Risk Carer Burnout: Reduced access respite services leading severe stress in families already stretched limits; my daughter ADHD wife neurodivergent I manage multiple painful musculoskeletal issues.

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

Submission 1588

conditions alongside depression and anxiety, and we both care for our own aging parents. Legally forcing us to absorb complex, specialised care hours under the guise of “parental responsibility” completely disregards our actual capacity to provide care, threatening my daughter’s developmental progress, our family’s survival and ensuring severe burnout.

Recommendation: Reject the standardised definition of “parental responsibility” and amend the Bill to explicitly mandate that any assessment must evaluate the actual real-world capacity of the household. The NDIA must be legally barred from factoring informal care into planning as a cost-saving exercise.

Conclusion

The success of the NDIS should be measured not only by financial sustainability but whether it enables Australians with disability to live safe dignified ordinary lives. People with disabilityand their families already invest substantial time energy advocating for supports adjustments required participate in society on equal terms These reforms must increase burden reduce access essential supports We urge Committee reject bill current form ensure future reform developed through genuine co-design people disabilities families representative organisations Any reform preserve equitable access support rely build community meaningful while also improving efficiency reducing complexity within NDIS Thank you considering experience recommendations Yours sincerely Mr Alex Bozinovski Consent Statement: I consent submission being published contact details withheld name included.