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

Submission 1851

Hello,

My name is . I am 40. I was born in Sydney. My dad’s family can trace their ancestry to the First Fleet and my mum and her parents immigrated to Australia from New Zealand when she was a child. Her grandmother was a Latvian Jewish refugee who escaped a Russian pogrom that wiped out their ancestral town. My dad’s dad was a decorated war hero, a spy in WW2 and the best storyteller I’ve ever known. Australia has given my family many wonderful opportunities and my family have worked hard to honour that. I was raised to believe that this was the lucky country, where everyone could get a fair go.

I was born with multiple disabilities. My parents were always taking me to doctor’s appointments and really did try their best to look after me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. I have been assessed as unable to work and have been trying to find ways to keep myself going. My dad died of cancer in 2016 and my mum is retired. I live with my fiance and he has been shouldering the burden of caregiving whilst working a full time job. It is destroying our relationship. I have been fighting an uphill battle with the NDIS for years now to get the help I need.

Due to medical mistreatment, many of my conditions are significantly worse than they should be and the strain of trying to manage my health and fight against a system that is designed to see me as less than is exhausting.

I am incensed that these barbaric cuts are even being considered. We are one of the richest nations in the world. We have the resources. We have the capacity. What is the point of the government if they do not look after the people? We don’t need to go down this path. These cuts will kill people. I have a friend who is terrified he and his partner are going to become homeless because of this. I have considered suicide as an alternative to being a burden on my loved ones. Humans need community, we need to look after each other.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect that the lucky country actually looks after its people. There is no reason other than greed and cruelty to spend money on warfare for the fragile egos of men when Australians need help. Many people are working to make things better and you can too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email,