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

Submission 1674

Dear Committee,

I have been an unpaid carer for my son for almost 20 years. Over that time, I have been part of multiple carer groups and have also worked within the disability sector.

I am writing to express my deep concern about the proposed NDIS legislation, particularly the reduction of social and community participation budgets for all participants. When NDIS supports are cut, the need does not disappear. Instead, it shifts directly onto unpaid carers – most often women - who are already carrying an enormous load.The consequencesare severe:women leavingthe workforce,cars burningout,families reaching breaking point,and intheworst cases,persons experiencing suicidal distress.Unpaidcarersalready havesomeof themost levels offinancial,social,economical ,and mentalwellbeinginthecountry.Manyofo ushavebeencaringnotfor a fewyears,butfordecades.T heNDISfinally gaveusachance toreclaim small parts o f ourlives,t oparticipateininourcommunities,a ndtorebuild ourown well-being.W e arpeop le tooa n dwe deservethechancetoliveordinary,dignified lives.I strongly support reformsthat address fraud,waste anda poor practice.However,Iam deeply concernedabout Australia’songoing over-reliance onunpaid carers.Parent-carers,inparticular)didno t choosebecome lifelongcarers.Wechoseto become parents .Typicalparents haveeasyimmediate access to mainstream services such as childcare, after-school care,the expectation that their children will grow into independent adults.This allows themmaintain careers friendships and social l ives.F or many parentsofchildrenwithdisability, this is simply notou r reality. We miss outon mothers’ groups playgroups the informalsocial networks th at sustain most families.O ur childr en often cannot safelyplay with others meaning we cannot share supervisionor enjoy thenatural suppor ofacommunity.The isolationis profound. And unlikecarer sofelderly people whose caring role istypically time-limited ,parent-cars may be providing full-time support for2530 years beforethe NDISwill even consider funding supported accommodation.T hatisanentire adult life spentcaring I hold a PhD yetIhave never been abletoworkfull-t imesince my son was born.Onl y afterthen DISwas introducedw asi abletowe partime while he wass in high school.IfNDIS budgets must bereduced ensureAustralia’s ongoing financial securityand the continuation o fthescheme,I urge Committeeconsider alternatives do no placeeven more responsibility on unpaid carers.W ecannotbe expectedto absorb furthercuts.Ifa ustria c annot afford to continue paying registeredsupport workersat current rates.thenwe mus t explorebroader community-based solutions –for

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

Submission 1674

example, a mandatory community service program where every taxpayer contributes a small amount of time each year to supporting people with disability. Unpaid carers are not an unlimited resource. We cannot simply be “turned up” to fill the gaps left by system cuts. If Australia cannot afford a fully funded disability support system, then as a society we must build a supportive community structure that shares the load, rather than placing it entirely on the shoulders of exhausted families - especially unpaid, mother-carers. Thank you for considering my submission.