National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Submission
Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Phone: +61 2 6277 3515 community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au Date: May 29th, 2026 To whom it may concern As an NDIS Carer for thirty-one years’, I have seen first-hand how pre-NDIS state-funded care was insufficiently provided during my time caring for family members diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP), Intellectual Disabilities, Epilepsy where constant begging had been necessary from Allied Health services as well as Community Participation daily. My loved one has always thrived in group programs which formed their routine safe space within these communities alongside school friends who are now adults all participating together under day program funding through NDIS although this is something that wasn’t desired but they chose such environment due to being cognitively aged five-year-olds; however, it will be taken away because of this bill’s amendments affecting our financial support and Centrelink payments leaving us unable financially to continue supporting them independently. The little we receive via the NDIS fund solely goes towards dressing feeding transporting our disabled child physically supporting him/her twenty-four-seven leading rapid physical mental health decline IT WILL COST MORE to now care for all sick carers’ including myself (I cannot afford a dentist) maintaining own health if sole provider ABN contracted workers and participation funds removed by this amendment. My family member suffered unbelievable abuse neglect registered providers over last three decades not tolerating happening again calling upon every caregiver relinquish family member already heavily taxed healthcare system These changes strip rights review question any life-altering decisions Minister’s new power section 34A reduce funding without meaningful appeal rights deeply frightening For people lifelong disabilities funding determines showering safely attending appointments accessing food leave homes avoid crisis situations Removing ability properly challenge harmful decisions creates fear insecurity dangerous imbalance between powers Disabled People deserve procedural fairness protection less oversight.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1839
The current discussion suggests that participants are routinely using NDIS funding.
The current public discussion and media representation suggest that participants are routinely using NDIS funding to fund luxury outings, entertainment, holidays, or discretionary recreation. While isolated examples attract attention from the media but do not reflect reality for most people living disabled Australia’s majority disabled population. For many participants Social Community Participation Funding is about “fun” It is about disability support. Government appears increasingly reframe disability support as an everyday living expense simply because activity resembles ordinary life. This fundamentally misunderstands both purpose of NDIS concept reasonable necessary supports under NDIS Act. Issue grocery shopping attending appointments accessing community participating day programs religious activities maintaining employment engaging in ordinary life are “everyday” activities. Many with disabilities cannot safely independently undertake these without disability-related support. support worker assisting person intellectual cognitive physical disability behavioral complexity safe access not leisure it disability support. Funding allows them to:
- attend medical allied health appointments - shop groceries clothing essential personal items maintain employment or supported employment structured day program access safety reduce severe social isolation develop routine structure functional capacity participate dignity privacy safety Many Day Programs Supported Employment Services And Community Providers rely heavily on this category operational These recreational services They provide critical supervision routines behavior support connection skill development community access stability otherwise deteriorate significantly require intensive costly crisis responses through health mental emergency housing justice state-based systems Repeated public portrayal beach trips movies misleading damaging people living disability and services that support them Proposed shift broader group based Inclusive Communities style models may suit some but individualised 1:1 required Treating groups universal substitute for individualized disability risk excluding very created inclusive communities don’t actually exist Concerned reforms impact Disability Employment Supported providers many participants rely funding maintain workplace participation related support they require Significant reductions undermining years progress workforce inclusion places significant expectations families carers other funded systems take load NDIS was established to support the social economic participation Australians disabled narrow participation political optics misconceptions urge Government abandon blanket reduction Social Community Participation Funding
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1839
- Protect access \to $\mathbf{1}:$:$oldsymbol{:}$disability supports where functionally required.
- Protect funding that sustains day programs*, supported employment,and community participation supports.
- Ensure reform remains consistent w/ principle s of reason able & neces ary suppor t un der th e ND IS act a nd broader Human Rights obligations .*
- Meaningfully consult* participants , families ,clinicians, providers**,a n dth ed is ability comm unity before implementing major changes .*
- Stop promoting misleading narratives that portray people wit h dis abilit y as exploiting scheme f or leisure activities, while ignoring essential role these support play enabling safe and dignified particip ation everyday com munity lif e.` People living with disability should not have to defend their right safely participate ordinary life which was whole premise o fNDIS first place Kind reg ards,