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

Submission 1970

Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600

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

Senators

I make this submission on behalf of my 29-year-old daughter. My daughter has Down syndrome with consequent intellectual disability and other impacts to health and wellbeing. We live in the Northern Territory (NT) and she has been a participant on the NDIS since November 2019. Her disability is permanent; there is no cure nor any treatment that can alleviate Down syndrome. Prior to the implementation of the NDIS, as a school leaver and young adult, my daughter received minimal support by way of capacity building or access to the community outside of what we, her parents, were able to provide and support. Despite achieving a Certificate III Retail she was unable to find meaningful, paid work outside of the local ADE – and this at a wage of less than $3 per hour. The NDIS has provided the means by which she has been able to build her capacity and have support to work part-time (9 hours per week paid at award rates) as an Allied Health Therapy Assistant for the last six years, be a Health Ambassador (HA) for Down Syndrome Australia for the last five years and a representative on the NT Disability Advisory Committee for the last two and a half years. In her role as a HA she has presented to hundreds of student doctors and therapists on the importance of inclusive and respectful communication in health planning and care. She has presented internationally and nationally on achieving health equity for people with an intellectual disability and the value of open, inclusive and paid employment. As a Therapy Assistant and part of a team at her workplace she inducts new staff with a focus on effective, respectful and inclusive communication. She is also part of a team that has spoken to employers on the impact of open and inclusive employment and to NT Major Events on the importance and value of accessible major sporting and community events.

The proposed Bill in its current form will significantly reduce the supports that my daughter requires to continue these achievements and be a productive member of the NT and Australian society.

The Bill as proposed will give the Minister the power for the 50% cut to social and community participation funding from 1 October 2026 which he has already announced and for any other future such cuts to supports that may be determined in such a unilateral, hidden process. Determinations under that power cannot be appealed nor are they subject to Parliamentary Oversight.

Currently my daughter, under social and community participation, is provided supports in her employment and supports to access group activities that include fitness, recreational and skill development programs aligned with her Plan goals, and which are intended to further develop her capacity for future employment as well as provide for reasonable social and community access. For social access this translates to one social evening a week where my daughter can engage in dinner with friends and activities such as a movie, ten pin bowling, karaoke, mini golf or dancing – with cost of the actual activity and dinner at her own cost with money that she has earned through her employment.

For my daughter the impact of the proposed 50% cut will be immediate, as her Plan renews as at 1 October 2026, and will result in her having to choose between continued support in employment or continued support to engage in her other social and community access activities. Does she continue to work and be a productive Australian citizen or does she solely rely on her Disability Support Pension

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

Submission 1970

and only engage in social activities at a reduced level, the proposed cut to her support funding will not allow both.

If she elects for the former then while she will retain this discretional income, she will be reliant on us, his parents, and other limited family support to engage in any level of social and community access. As ageing seniors and pensioners our capacity to provide such support is limited. It would also likely have a significant impact on her continuing contact with friends, many of whom will face similar cuts in support.

If she elects for the latter, what will she do for the three mornings per week that she is currently employed? With the consequent reduction in her discretional income my daughter will be less able to afford to engage in social and community activities even with the ongoing support provided.

The impact more broadly would be that her employer will need to review how they will meet the need currently met by my daughter, will they redeploy or terminate the staff that currently provide the supports in her employment. There is a further economic impact as our daughter and her friends are less able to pay for social activities; less meals purchased, less attendees at theatres, bowling, golf club etc.

The proposed Bill will fundamentally change the NDIS; it will no longer be the scheme that was created with enormous community support and will fail to meet that original intent. The ‘savings’ that the Treasury modelling suggest will be achieved are also illusory, there will simply be a cost shift to other Government programs and the broader community, coupled with a significant erosion of trust in government to protect its citizens.

I urge you to recommend that this Bill not proceed in its current form, while there are a number of concerns, the proposed powers provided to the Minister under s34(A) are of significant concern and require substantial review. This review must include people with disability in broad consultation and in specific co-design of the detail to ensure equity and fairness to those that it will impact.

Primary legislation such as this should provide a shield against an unknown future, protecting the most vulnerable in our community, this legislation as proposed does the opposite

Thank you for your time.

Parent