NDIA Accountability Project

Concerns regarding stricter eligibility criteria and standardised assessments

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

Submission 200

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

As a parent of two children on the NDIS, I am deeply concerned about the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026.

I understand the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and address fraud and misuse within the system. Families also want accountability and quality services. However, many of the proposed changes appear to shift the burden of “fixing” the scheme to disabled children and families who already face enormous barriers accessing essential supports.

My children rely on the NDIS to participate in everyday life, access therapies, regulate sensory needs, build communication skills, maintain physical and mental health, and safely engage in education and community life. These supports are not optional extras. They are fundamental to their wellbeing, development, dignity, and future independence.

Australia is a signatory to the (UNCRPD) and therefore has clear obligations to protect the rights of disabled people, including children. The proposed reforms raise serious concerns regarding Australia’s compliance with these obligations.

Article 7 of the UNCRPD states that children with disabilities have the right to enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children, and that their best interests must be a primary consideration in all actions concerning them.

Article 19 recognises the right of disabled people to live independently and participate fully in the community. Without adequate supports, many children and families risk increased isolation, exclusion from education and community participation, and declining physical and mental health outcomes.

Article 24 protects the right to inclusive education. Many children rely on NDIS-funded therapies, assistive technology, regulation supports, and allied health input to access education safely and meaningfully. Reducing or restricting these supports risks further exclusion and educational disadvantage for disabled students.

Article 25 recognises the right to the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination, while Article 26 obligates governments to provide habilitation and rehabilitation supports that enable disabled people to attain maximum independence and participation.

I am particularly concerned about proposals relating to stricter eligibility criteria and increased reliance on standardised “functional capacity” assessments. Many disabilities — especially autism, psychosocial disability, chronic illness, hypermobility conditions, and fluctuating disabilities — cannot be accurately captured in a short assessment process. Disability is not static, and support needs are often complex and context-dependent.

The proposed reforms also appear inconsistent with Article 4(3) of the UNCRPD, which requires governments to closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities,

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

Submission 200

including children, through their representative organisations when developing laws and policies that affect them. Many disabled people, families, advocates, and organisations have expressed concern that consultation processes have been rushed and that community feedback has not been adequately reflected.

The language surrounding “sustainability” also risks framing disabled people as an economic burden rather than rights holders entitled to support, dignity, and equal participation in society. The NDIS should not be viewed solely through a financial lens. Early intervention, community participation, and appropriate supports reduce long-term costs across health, education, mental health, homelessness, and crisis systems.

The NDIS has transformed lives. It has allowed children like mine to participate in their communities, develop independence, access education more equitably, and improve long-term outcomes. Weakening access to supports risks undermining these gains and contradicting Australia’s obligations under the UNCRPD.

I urge the Government to:

  • Ensure all reforms are genuinely co-designed with disabled people, their families, and advocacy organisations.
  • Uphold Australia’s obligations under the UNCRPD.
  • Protect access for children and people with complex and fluctuating disabilities.
  • Avoid one-size-fits-all assessment processes.
  • Preserve participant choice, flexibility, and individualised support.
  • Focus cost-saving measures on fraud, exploitation, and poor provider regulation rather than restricting essential supports.
  • Ensure disabled children’s rights, wellbeing, and best interests remain central to all legislative reform.

Disabled Australians deserve a system grounded in human rights, dignity, inclusion, and evidence-based support — not in increasing barriers to the supports that make everyday life possible.