National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Submission

Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill 2026 - Submission 2077

Date: May 30th, 2026

I welcome the opportunity to make submission regarding Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs about [the title mentioned above]. As someone with disability as well being carer for two disabled kids along with navigating through systems without protection from NDIs plans. The harm this amendment bill will cause if passed would be significant due its far-reaching nature which requires further review before proceeding forward.

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Submission

Recommendation: Require that all decisions affecting NDIS eligibility and funding levels be made through primary legislation subject to full parliamentary scrutiny, with mandatory advance notice to affected participants before any changes take effect. Existing participants face narrower criteria and fewer rights to challenge decisions The issue: The Bill changes the rules for existing NDIS participants and makes it harder to challenge some decisions about supports and funding. It also restricts when you can request reassessment, removes review rights for automatic plan renewals, and makes funding reductions unreviewable (Schedule Parts). Combined with restrictions on reassessment requests (), , () as someone currently fighting access scheme creates closed door effect if existing rights stripped away and made unreviewable guarantees even qualify system offer no security trapped permanent state precariousness Recommendation: require “no harm” safeguard ensuring current participant loses access unless equivalent supports are place independent review rights exit decision preserved Unreviewable ministerial power cut across all support categories The Minister reduce funding specified percentage instrument cannot challenged Schedule Part This applies budget categories unspent funds will longer carry over at renewal Plan Period high-cost items lose ability entirely For family living poverty saving essential strategy remove make funding cuts unreviewable institutionalise neglect families already experience daily

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

Submission 2077

Recommendation:

Require that unspent funds carry over at plan renewal for participants saving for high-cost items and require independent review rights before any funding reduction takes effect.

Requirement to exhaust treatment options before eligibility The issue:A person with disability will need to exhaust treatment options before they can be eligible for the Scheme (Schedule Part8). There will also be removal whole-of-person assessment replaced single eligible consideration(Schedule1Part3) note previously acknowledged environmental factors and other impairments could affect support needs removed Schedule part3 How this affects participants: Peoplewithdisabilitywillneedto provetheirimpairmentcannotbe treatedbeforetheyaccessthe NDIS Onceinthescheme their supports willonly assessedagainsta singeeligibleimpairm rather thanwholeexperience Person’s individualcircumstances not considered including ability paytreatment where liveorwhether treatme actuallyavailablethem WithFND alreadystruggle access due poverty lacksupport requiring meexhaust treatments cannot afford reach before amelible is circular trap excludes most vulnerable Ignoresmydisableness justmedicalcondition but lived experience exhaustionlackresources ## Recommendation Do proceed requirement exhaustive appropriate treatment options there are no safeguarding measures around participant harm side effects complications financial abilitypay geographic capacity acces tools Unvalidated functionalcapacityassessmenttool risks misidentifying need Issue Bill shifts from wholeofpersonconsideration singledisable impairment Schedule 1part3 Read together partseligibilitythresholds in Partsand9 tool used conductfunctionalcapacities must capable sufficiently identifying whether a person meets threshold thatsingleImp The namedassessmen InstrumentforClassificationAssessmentSupport Needs I-CAN requires validation ensure it will identifyneeds all people disabilityincluding those whose may fluctuating episodic may captured through pointintime assessment culturallyappropriate for FirstPeoples with disablement

Howthis affectsparticipants If the assess ment doesnotaccurately capture full extent of personsdisability needsthatfluctuate vary over time participant found ineligible or have undercounted supports guarantee result reflects actual My FND symptoms wildly somedayscannotwalk speak otherdays constantpain Pointinonevaluation neverreflect myreality using unvalidatetool force into singleimpairm box recipe total exclusion support childrensafe

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Submission

Recommendation:

Do not proceed with I-CAN as the functional capacity assessment tool unless it has been demonstrably validated to identify the needs of all people with disability including those with episodic or fluctuating disability. Supports cut before replacement system ready The issue From October 2026 funding announced social civic & community participations reduced by per cent daily activities reduced through ministerial instrument power in Schedule Part The Foundational Support System intended fill gap no confirmed implementation date operational How affects participants Supports that help connect build skills maintain independence may be cut leaving carers families greater responsibilities additional supports often what helps stay visible connected safe My children already living foundational vacuum To cut these others anything place pull rug under entire disability It will inevitably lead more like mine collapsing weight care safety net left catch us Recommendation: Require reductions Community Participation Capacity Building until Fully Operational Adequately Funded Demonstrably able meet Needs who lose NDIS supports