Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment

(Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 I am an Occupational Therapist working with NDIS participants across community in Brisbane. I am writing to express concern regarding some of the proposals within the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026. Firstly, as I support sustainability fraud prevention accountability within NDIs however concerned that proposed changes will reduce access safe supports complex psychosocial disabilities restricting input qualified allied health professionals most suited determine needs individuals fluctuating scenarios In particular urge committee consider following concerns: The reliance standardised assessment approaches recognition context hugely important reason disability exists environment itself creating barriers many would disabled freezing cold take mittens off puzzle tie shoelaces environment everything about us creates minimises it The risk participants fluctuations psychosocial neurodevelopmental or complex functional impairments may not appropriately assessed through proposal ICAN client around different diagnoses recognised others interconnected impact her well-being level disability Australian heat causing unable outside few seconds get car collapsing cannot captured standard assessment can considered person making nuanced decisions Concern introduction all appropriate treatments test NDIS eligibility Firstly, many treatments years enact time serious financial burden reality privately paying disability supports For many impossible does wish treatment cost tens thousands dollars covered under Medicare this possible make permanent unfairly disadvantages already disadvantaged those means can access all treatments then get disability supports without cannot

Submission

Submission text:

• receive either. it also creates unrealistic expectations… treatment must continually pursue treatment…and is needed together to ensure safety and continued living! ● Plan reassessments being just another I-CAN assessment means it will be impossible fair consideration clients face. ● This unintentionally impacts participant choice control powerfully. ● Concern about minister’s powers reducing funding type supports all plans. those considered safe certain level community participation week Physiotherapy appointment maintaining strength walk can reduced without warning or appeal (suddenly cannot get appointments significantly impacting on safety). Extremely concerned this impact has on participants otherwise reasonable necessary support in their plan. optical Therapists assess functional capacity within environments where people work participate trained uniquely determine client daily activities environment interact create barriers limitations possibilities effective clinical reasoning environmental observation experience training understanding risk sensory processing executive functioning fatigue mental health informal breakdown cumulative effect over time. particularly concern movement toward overly standardised systems replacing nuanced professional judgement brief office-based assessments possible understand nuance human experience appropriate OTs’ assessment participants at crisis hospital presentations homelessness serious injury efficiency reform would prioritise budgetary administrative ease rather than Australians with disabilities real life consequences reforms for complex needs families live alongside them. Respectful recommendation Committee consider amendments that preserve role qualified allied professionals function assessment planning, ensuring access individualized evidence based natural settings conducted transparency regarding how outcomes inform budgets strong review rights meaningful independent review new tools independently validated diverse cohorts before implementation.

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

Submission 2237

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this submission.

Yours sincerely, redacted Occupational Therapist Brisbane