National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 202
Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
I am an occupational therapist who has worked with participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme since the rollout of the initial trial site. Through my clinical work across the disability sector, I have seen firsthand the significant positive impact the NDIS has had on the lives of people with disability, including increased independence, improved participation in community life, and greater access to supports that allow people to live with dignity and choice. While I acknowledge the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS, I am deeply concerned that many of the proposed amendments within the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 risk undermining the foundational principles of the Scheme. Sustainability cannot be achieved by reducing access to essential supports, narrowing eligibility, or shifting costs onto people with disability, unpaid carers, and already overstretched health and community services. My primary concerns relate to the following proposed amendments:
- Cuts to Capacity Building and Community Participation Supports The NDIS Act establishes that the Scheme is intended to support people with disability to pursue their goals and aspirations, facilitate participant choice and control, and provide reasonable and necessary supports based on individual needs. Capacity building and community participation supports are not optional extras. These supports enable people to develop skills, increase independence, access employment and education opportunities, and participate meaningfully in society. Reducing funding in these areas is likely to increase long-term dependence and reduce participants’ ability to pursue their goals and aspirations. It also risks increasing social isolation and limiting opportunities for people with disability to engage in work, education, volunteering, and everyday community life. In practice, I regularly see how these supports reduce reliance on crisis services, improve mental health outcomes, and support sustainable long-term functioning. Restricting these supports may create short-term budget savings but is likely to generate greater long-term social and economic costs.
Redefining Functional Capacity
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 202
Concerns about Proposed Definition of Functional Capacity
The proposed definition of functional capacity assesses what individuals can do: • without assistance from others, • using no assistive technology modifications. The exclusion of environmental conditions significantly impacts an accurate assessment as disability occurs in various contexts beyond just medical diagnosis.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 202
Any assessment or funding framework must preserve the ability for qualified clinicians and allied health professionals to exercise professional judgment and provide individualized recommendations. 4. Ministerial Pricing Powers The Bill proposes granting the Minister power to set maximum NDIS pricing rates through legislative instrument.The original Productivity Commission in its recommendation emphasized that this scheme should operate independently rather than under political direction over operational decisions.There are already significant shortages across occupational therapy and related professions; particularly regional complex disability sectors.Pricing decisions made without adequate consultation risk destabilizing workforce access to services.Capped prices on assistive technology may reduce provider viability increase delays limit access force participants co-payments despite low incomes.Sustainability depends not financial management but also maintaining a skilled sustainable workforce capable delivering safe effective supports.RecommendationsI respectfully urge Committee consider following:• Retain environmental social cultural personal factors within functional capacity assessments• Protect community participation building support funds • Remove significantly ministerial powers relating direct price controls reductions • Ensure automated decision-making systems cannot override clinical judgement individualized assessment • Preserve participant choice control central principles of NDISEnd
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 202 The NDIS exists because Australians recognized that people with disability deserve dignity, safety, equality, and full participation in society. Every day in my clinical work, I see the positive impact that appropriate supports can have on candidates’ lives. People become increasingly self-reliant; they connect deeply within our community; as well as engaging meaningfully due to these benefits provided through the NDIS. It is impossible to revert back into an environment characterized by insufficient resources or disjointed support systems which leave many needs unsatisfied. Therefore any changes made towards improving upon such conditions should be aimed at fortifying its core values instead of diluting it further.