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

Submission 211

I am a 23 year old NDIS participant. I am physically, neurologically, and psychosocially disabled. The NDIS cuts have led me to have to rely on crowdfunding to get a new wheelchair because my old wheelchair was breaking and I was unable to go out for longer than 5 minutes with a wheelchair and someone to push me. I spent all my savings and crowdfunded $1300 so I would be able to access the community independently and safely again. Even this new wheelchair is not specific and customised to my needs, but its good enough for the meantime. Even though I had a full OT report that stated I needed a custom wheelchair, NDIS instead fully cut funding to my physical disabilities. I don’t know how or why this happened, they are claiming it was because of a mistake made a year ago.

I am also a survivor of DV from my ex-fiancé who was also my full-time carer. I need more support hours and more supports because I am now living without a full-time carer, but instead my funding just got cut.

The new bill is going to keep putting disabled people at an even higher risk, risk of things like DV or family violence, as well as risking neglecting so many disabled people, which in turn is risking their lives. The new bill does not consider your person environment. It would not consider that I am a survivor of DV, it would not consider that my parents don’t know how to support me, it would not consider that I am a cancer survivor. It would not consider that long term side effects of chemotherapy disabled me further. The NDIS would only fund supports for one approved primary disability, which does not consider those who are disabled by many different things compounding up, those with a medically complex history, like myself. I am disabled in different ways, not just physically or neurologically or psychologically, but all of them combined.

The requirement to try all available treatments first in order to gain access limits those who are financially unable to try all treatments, especially if they are not Medicare or PBS funded. This is inherently classist and prevents early intervention.

The block from NDIS access if you are supported by another compensation scheme may limit how much assistance someone can get, if someone is higher needs than what these compensation schemes may be able to provide, there is a gap in care which can lead to harm to disabled people, and potentially death.

Changing the legal time limit to process a new application to join the NDIS from 21 days to 90 days will harm people. It will kill people. There is no doubt about that. It will also put more pressure on the already overworked hospital system, people who progress very quickly with their disability may have to stay inpatient for longer due to NDIS wait times, or they may be discharged and not have any supports at home which can harm and kill disabled people. Not everyone has a supportive family around them who can drop everything to look after someone with a disability.

Disabled people are being trampled on by the government. Show us you care about disabled people instead of harming us.