National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1779
26 May 2025
To the Committee Secretary,
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
I am the mother and nominee of my daughter, a NDIS participant with autism spectrum disorder level 3.
I am writing to express serious concerns regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 and the potential impact these reforms may have on participants like my daughter and families like ours.
Our daughter was a late diagnosis despite years of significant challenges. She is now transitioning into adulthood, which is already an extremely vulnerable and complex stage of life for autistic young people with high support needs.
The NDIS has been life-changing for her when appropriate supports are in place. With the support of a support worker, she has slowly begun leaving the house, entering the community, and developing confidence and independence. Prior to receiving these supports, she became increasingly isolated and reclusive.
Social and community participation supports are not “extras” for her. They are essential supports that prevent deterioration in her mental health, functioning, and quality of life. Without these supports, she would regress socially, emotionally, and functionally.
I am deeply concerned about proposed changes relating to:
- functional capacity assessments
- tighter eligibility requirements
- reassessments of existing participants
- narrowing definitions of reasonable and necessary supports
- limitations around social and community participation.
Autism is not a condition that can be properly understood through standardised or rushed assessments. Functional capacity can vary significantly depending on environment, stress, sensory load, communication demands, and support availability. Many autistic people, particularly girls and young women, mask difficulties during assessments while still experiencing profound disability in daily life.
I am also concerned about the increasing administrative burden placed on participants and families. Our family has already experienced serious failures within the system. Our daughter’s autism level was apparently never properly recorded despite multiple plans, reviews, and change of circumstance processes occurring over several years. We were later asked to complete additional forms to correct omissions that should never have happened in the first place.
These experiences have significantly undermined our confidence in the system.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1779
Families caring for people with significant disability are already exhausted. We are constantly coordinating appointments, therapies, education, reports, supports, and crisis management while also trying to maintain family stability. Additional reassessments, uncertainty, and administrative hurdles create enormous stress and instability.
While I support genuine efforts to reduce fraud and improve accountability within the NDIS, I do not believe participants with significant and permanent disabilities should bear the consequences of system failures, poor administration, or exploitation by providers.
I am also concerned about the pace of these reforms and the limited consultation period provided for participants and families to respond to legislation of this scale and significance.
The NDIS was created to improve inclusion, dignity, independence, and quality of life for Australians with disability. For families like ours, these supports are not luxuries — they are the difference between participation and isolation, between stability and crisis.
I urge the Committee to ensure that:
- participants with permanent and significant disabilities are protected from losing essential supports
- autism and psychosocial disabilities are not disadvantaged by standardised assessment models
- social and community participation supports remain recognised as legitimate disability supports
- families and carers are genuinely consulted before major reforms are implemented
- safeguards exist to prevent inappropriate reassessments or loss of support for vulnerable participants.
The long-term sustainability of the NDIS must not come at the cost of the wellbeing, dignity, and futures of people with disability who rely on it every day.
Thank you for considering this submission.