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

Submission 2234

May 28th, 2026

The Committee Secretary Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs Re: National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

deeply concerned citizen regarding proposed changes to disability support funding, particularly reports of significant reductions to community access budgets for people living with disabilities.

A close friend of mine has a child with significant disabilities, and the possibility of losing 50% of their community access funding would have a devastating impact on their daily life and their family’s ability to continue caring for them at home. Community access is not a luxury — it is essential for social connection, independence, mental wellbeing and reducing isolation.

I understand and support the need for reform and accountability within the system. Taxpayers expect funding to be managed responsibly. However, reform should never come at the expense of vulnerable people who rely on these supports to live with dignity and participate in society.

Cuts of this scale risk pushing families to breaking point and may ultimately increase pressure on hospitals, carers, and residential services. Decisions like these can feel disconnected from the real-world impact they have on families already doing everything they can.

I believe the proposed reforms are not adequate to support people with disability to live fulfilling and independent lives with dignity as the NDIS was designed to do. The reforms could cause significant harm to the purpose of the scheme if implemented. The proposed reforms must be approached in wide consultation with families and people with disability so that other compounding circumstances such a single parenting, housing insecurity, chronic health issues of parents/carers and financial hardship that often impact on the person with disability and their ability to remain engaged in society are taken into consideration when decisions are made regarding community participation and access.

Similarly, all other terms of the proposed reforms will benefit from a wider community consultation and disability sector input. Each of the proposed reforms should be applied to case studies that can throw light into the impact they would have on people with disability and their families before they are implemented. This would guarantee minimising risk for vulnerable people and the redesigning of the best NDIS we can create.

I thank you for kindly tabling my concerns to the Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs

Yours sincerely,