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

Submission 1932

I am writing to you today to submit my thoughts about the proposed changes to NDIS.

My experience as a support worker included working for a NDIS participant who requires communication, living and travel supports, (15 hours a day run in 3 tight shifts). This person is profoundly physically disabled, unable to talk and has very little movement ability. This persons’ life was also saved by the NDIS when it initially rolled out, giving them the opportunity to live in their own apartment, and able to escape from a horrendous shared living situation. This nursing home was abusive and neglectful and an incredibly traumatic experience for them. The NDIS has worked out wonderfully for this person, and I doubt they will lose much of their funding because of the stretch of their physical disabilities. What the NDIS did was make this industry accountable for causing damage to many people, and has been a wonderful, life changing thing.

In relation to the cuts however, I do see problems. I understand that the NDIS did not foresee the boom in diagnoses for Autism, ADHD and neurological or intellectual disabilities that we see now, and I understand reason to think creatively in this area. However, the mixed messages around community funding, with government sources stating it continues to be priority, when the reality is much of the funding will be taken here. In a world that is increasingly isolated, supports in social and community engagement are SO important. Cuts in this area would mean I would see people around me loose really important supports, and also see many people I know who work in this area loose work. People that are doing this work for all the right reasons.

Which brings me back to my first point, around dodgy industries and harmful practice. Many were filtered out when NDIS came into action, but of course, a larger number has materialised since then. We hear it again and again, I’ve seen it, through my brothers experience (he lives with Cerebral Palsy) and through stories from my partner who works as a support coordinator. How is it so easy for so many big companies to do this? This is where the ePort needs and MUST go. The vague and easily misread information you have given the public is not good enough. HOW are you going to tackle this fraud? It is not the participants; it is providers and industries. We see it all over the place.

I also fear for folks having to ‘prove’ their disability to the NDIS. You are harming the wrong area here

Thank you for reading this.