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

Submission 2178

Submission on the NDIS Amendment Bill

I am an occupational therapist who sees clients through their NDIS funding mostly in the early childhood intervention space and with a few adolescent clients. I have a number of concerns with the proposed changes to the NDIS and how my clients will continue to receive the support they need. Furthermore, the clinic I work at supports NDIS clients across the life span and believe these cuts will be detrimental to many people with disabilities and also their families.

I am also writing this submission as i know many of the families and individuals I work with are experiencing severe burn out due to their caring duties and simply do not have time, energy and or capacity to complete submissions themselves.

I have some serious concerns about the proposed NDIS changes and cuts that are going to be introduced with the implementation of this new bill. Especially with this being the largest cut of any social scheme in a single budget raises some serious concerns about how individuals will be adequately supported as new systems are being set up. I also believe this will disproportionately impact the most vulnerable individuals who access the NDIS and lead an already marginalised community to face further isolation and discrimination; which the NDIS has worked so hard to break down these barriers to inclusion and accessibility.

Currently the NDIS is set up to support disabled individuals holistically. It considers their ability to access different environments, communities and aims to increase their participation in all areas of life. With the introduction of these cuts we will see a major decline in quality of life for many and a decrease in social and community participation for many and individuals no longer receiving necessary and holistic supports.

I believe this bill currently does not adequately address what the changes to the NDIS will be and how those currently receiving support will be supported if they are to be removed. This has led to increased stress for many families I work with, especially those who are most vulnerable and may not be in the financial position to fund all the additional therapy their children need. This uncertainty is currently adding to feelings of stress and helplessness for many. I also believe the proposed changes including automating decisions making, changing eligibility requirements and implementing crisis and non contactable rules, will ultimately again disproportionately impact the most vulnerable accessing the NDIS. Including families who may have lower socioeconomic status, lower level of education, those who are culturally diverse or English is their second language; those who are simply just trying to survive.

Many of my clients accessing the NDIS have complex lives, they may go periods of time without accessing services due to personal issues such as dealing with friends or families in hospitals, experiences of trauma, mental health or burn out. Albeit, this does not mean they do not require services or want the support but they may not currently have the capacity to deal with anything else outside of their immediate concerns. Thus, by placing unrealistic expectations of additional administrative responsibilities on families and individuals to reply during these periods we will only further isolate our most vulnerable who truly need support.

Furthermore, I believe by automating NDIS and tightening eligibility criteria the complexities of disabilities will be overlooked. Many disabilities are dynamic and some days, weeks and months support needs may be much higher. By placing constraints on when and how funding is used limited families and individuals’ ability to access the support they truly need.

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

Submission 2178

Automating process and decision again will likely overlook how complex disabilities are and the needs of the disabled community.

Lastly, access to therapy, support workers, early intervention, funding for community and social participation is life changing for many. By reducing this funding we are limiting what those in the disability community can do and achieve. Funding for therapy allows children and adults alike with disability to learn new skills thus, increasing their independence and ability to participate in their community. With access to funding being removed, we will see a reduction in independence, choice and control and access to community. Raising a child with a disability often comes with lots of additional costs including for therapy, time and amount of care provided. Through providing therapy, families learn how to better support their children’s needs, it increases their capacity to provide the support required and also leads to long lasting and positive change which may have not occurred if support was not accessed. Therapy builds individuals’ skills to communicate, to participate in work, school, play or an individual’s desired occupation. It builds their ability to access community, go out for coffee, buy groceries, look after themselves or others including developing self care skills whether this is for a grooming task, or domestic task such as cleaning or cooking. Access to therapy, early intervention, support workers and community changes lives. It increases participation in our society, helps contribute to our economy and has long lasting and positive impact on peoples lives and ultimately reduces strain on crisis services and hospitals which are less relied on when sustainable, holistic support is provided.

I am asking the committee to really consider what this bill means for those within the disabled community and the impact it will have on their families. By providing necessary and reasonable support to those accessing the NDIS, I have seen lots of meaningful changes occur in individuals’ lives, increases in skills, improved mental health and wellbeing and access to communities. Automating NDIS plans, tightening eligibility criterias, implementing crisis and non contact rules, reducing access to therapy, social participation and capacity building supports will have a detrimental impact on many. I implore you to listen to disabled voices, therapists and those with lived experience on this matter as they will be the ones living with the consequences of these cuts.