National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission: Submission No.
Attention:
Committee Secretary, Senate Standing Committee On Community Affairs
Date: 29/5/2026
As an allied healthcare provider serving disabled individuals across Victoria as well as my aunt who has profound disabilities supported through NDIS funds; deeply concerned about this bill’s impact on our community & loved ones; much scrutiny needed prior approval.
Schedule1 Part4 Regarding Section34A - Ministerial Powers, Cuts To Funding Without Appeal And Ambiguous Thresholds
The unprecedented powers held over participants by Ministers without appeal mechanisms are concerning due lack certainty in rules governing eligibility thresholds which have not yet been written. This could lead to changes being made without parliamentary debate or public review affecting participant plans until they’re affected directly. The proposed legislation allows ministers to change funding levels and support recipients via instruments signed without returning back to Parliament. My Aunt is a victim of decades-long trauma related unstable inconsistent care leading up to her receiving basic independence with NDIS funding providing her choice caregivers sufficient resources safe living conditions meeting physical cognitive needs she had previously experienced unimaginable adversity. I am terrified that these changes will send her back into sub-human quality life narrowly escaping from before and she won’t understand why how adapt. Lack clarity fundings changing accountability minister part safety netting embedded within proposal shocking distressing families family members like myself. There should be no ethical moral reason for changes impacting participant funds reviewed by parliament tribunal other legal entity acting vulnerable people like mine,
Schedule 4 (subsection8), Non-validated Functional Capacity Assessment Tool Absence Of Whole-person Approach
As clinician decade experience training evidenced-based support best-practise pathways towards assessment standardised assessments scientifically statistically disseminated clinically reviewed ensure suitability individual must always conducted trained usually Masters-level health based clinicians however named tool Instrument Classification And Assessment Support Needs (I-CAN) requires validation identify all peoples disability including those whose needs may be
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 1947
fluctuating or episodic and may not be captured through a point-in-time assessment, and to ensure it is culturally appropriate for First Peoples with disability. Additionally, the I-CAN assessment was originally designed to be completed by an allied health professionwith sufficient trainingand knowledge onthe subjectofhealthdevelopmentdisabilityto producea clinically valid resultHowever withinthetBillno qualification requirements have been established as totoprerequisiteor qualifications oftassessors(presumedI- CAN assessors),andsction8scheduleseems toi indicatethat‘indirect’clinicaljudgement willbeestablishedthroughtrainingunqualifiedNDISemployeesbyallied healthprofessionals.Finally,theBillshiftsassessmentfromwhole-of-personconsiderationtosaingleligibleimpairment(SchedulePart3).Read togetherwithestheseligibilitythresholdsinParts8andaftertoolusedconductfunctionalcapacity assessmentsmustbescapableofficientlyidentifyingwhetherapersonmeetsthetresholdforthatsingle impairment.Request:I request that the Billin its current form berejectedany future bill be informed by genuine consultation witthose in then disability communityan dhealth professionals supporting themcommunityPlease always ensur ethical principles of dignity fairness anda nd compassion underpin all debateandlegislationthaffects thedisabilit ycommunitv.Regards