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

Submission 2169

Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs

Re:NDIS Amendment(SecuringtheNDIS)Bill2026

My submission should remain private and confidential, I do not wishmynameandemailaddresstopublish.

I’m writing as parent and primary careroftwoadultchildrenbothwhohavecooccurrencingconditionsthatcannotbeseparatedfromtheirautism.My childrenresideinQueensland,botharediagnosedwithAutismDSM5Cat2.Mychildrensautistictraitshavbecomemoreprofoundastheyhaagead.

I am submitting thistothesenatestandingcommitteeoncommunityaffairsinspontiontotothendisamendment(securings thenndis)bill2026.

I awritingaboutSchedulePart3 ofthebillwhichrequireseveryfundedsupporttorise“directly” fromthesespecificimpairmentapersonwasassessedfor.Mychild’sautismsdoesnotpresentalone.MyoldersonTom,now23,isdiagnosed with AutismADHDanxietyasleep disorderandscomplexbehaviouralissues/sensorprocessingdisorder.Iamprimarycarertomy yearolddaughterEllewhohasaotismanxietyspeechlanguage disordernandalntellectual disability.Theseconditionsinteractconstantlyandonbe separatedintoneat categories.The support my child needs include speech therapy for improvedcommunication ansocialinteractionoccupationaltherapyforexecutivefunction/ behaviour supports to manage anxietydrivenmeltdowns,supporttotendactivitieswithinthe communityand attendwork/workexperience safely,theyalsorequirepsychologicalsupporsto understand howtonavigate life and personal interactions in thecommunitysafely. These suppoaddressneeds thatcutacrossalloftheseconditionsatonce.Underthisbill,theNDIAcoulddetermine thisthisupport does not‘ directly’arisesfromtheadutim diagnosis andretherefore shouldno be funded.Mychild’spresentationwouldnotchange.theirneedswouldn ot change.Buttheir funding couldberemoved.Thisis nota theoretical risk.Many autistic peoplearealreadybeing told theircooccurring conditions arenotinpart ofthenDISrecognisedimpairment.Research publishedinJournalAutismDevelopmentaldDisorders(Guanetal2021)confirmsthatthemajorityautisticpeoplehave atleast one cooccuring condition.Thesenots separateissues.Theyare partofothesameperson.Iaskthecommitteetoremovetheword “directly” from this billandrestithe NDIA obligationtofundsupportforthewhole person,nottjustanisolateddiagnosis.

I requestmynameande-mail addressremain confidential an re notpublished. Yours sincerely