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

Submission 1662

Submission to the government’s NDIS Inquiry

The government has not made it clear what the “standardised test” to get on the NDIS will be nor who will be cut from its services. The NDIS will also require people with disabilities to explore “all possible avenues of treatment” before going onto the NDIS. This is completely unacceptable.

Forcing people to give up autonomy over their health for potentially safer treatment options. By forcing many disabled people to undergo invasive tests and surgeries without supports first before getting funding for things like physio. This does not take into account personal, religious or cultural preferences which is entirely antithetical to the individualism Australia prides itself on.

Individuals with rare or undiagnosed conditions will further fall through the cracks as the standardised test will likely not apply to them. Also the NDIS will no longer provide “early treatment funding” which is funding that may help an individual from worsening. An example is Parkinson’s disease which we know early intervention is crucial for. This means many people with disabilities will have to turn to the currently non-existent state supports, invasive procedures and their community to receive care.

These changes and cuts don’t just affect the disabled community but wider communities as well. Firstly if you ever acquire a disability (as most people will) it will be significantly harder to access the NDIS. Secondly those cut from the NDIS will now need to seek care in other places, such as help from local community support. This can further a gender gap in as women are more commonly the primary carers meaning more women may have to leave work to look after their friends or family. It is predicted that more family members will have to take on caring roles and smaller communities will take the brunt of the impact.

While the NDIS does need to be fixed and does need help, punishing people with disabilities and leaving both them and state governments without supports will be worse for the disabled community and Australians as a whole. At the end of the day how will cutting 160,000 people off a scheme who need it help anyone?