National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2251
I am writing as an autistic person living in Queensland. I am submitting this to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs in response to the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS) Bill 2026.
About Schedule 1 Part 8 of the Bill
The bill requires individuals who have completed all “appropriate treatments” be eligible under the NDIS scheme; however it allows these therapies to still count even if they are unaffordable or inaccessible where one lives due to cost or location issues:
Personal Experience with Therapy & Autistic Diagnosis
As someone diagnosed at my own request aged thirty-seven years old after struggling immensely without knowing why: job search difficulties, relationship maintenance challenges, financial struggles and emotional understanding were major hurdles until therapy was introduced into life which helped but did not fully address needs;
Accessing NDLS Support Services
Therapy sessions via Medicare rebates proved too expensive ($/month), whereas accessing NDIS funding allowed me access to a psychologist and occupational therapist once every two weeks - pivotal support that enabled greater independence yet fell short given other requirements;
Functional Capacity Assessment Rejection
A functional capacity assessment submitted for recommended supports resulted denied by NDIS stating none represented value-for-money despite being necessary;
Concerns Regarding Proposed Changes
discussion around pushing autistic people out from NDIS into kids program reveals unwillingness/inability acknowledging autism’s persistence beyond eighteen. As adults we face worsening symptoms requiring more extensive care than childhood counterparts.
Lifelong Neurological Condition of Autism
Autism is an incurable lifelong neurological condition lacking evidence-based treatments capable reversing/curing/removing its effects entirely; therapies such as speech pathology remain essential.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2251
therapy and psychology support autistic people to build skills and manage daily life, but they do do\tandcannoteliminatetheunderlyingcondition.
AnalysisbyDisabilitySupportConsultantsoftheNDIAsownconsultationdocumentsconfirms \ntheAgencyhasalreadypredeterminedeveryautisticpeoplewillreceivemid-rangefunding, generallyofindividualneed.This‘appropriatetreatmentruleaddsaFurtherbarrierontopofofasystemthatisalreadyrationingsupport.
IasktheCommitteetoamendthepBillsothtreatmentsonlycountsas‘appropiateifitiss \ngenuinelyaccessibletothatpersongiventheirolocation,financeandsomedicalcircumstances.IalsoasktheCommi \tteatoexplicitlyconfirminthelegalisationthatautismispermanent,lifelongneurologicalconditiionforwhichnocurativetreatingexists. Yours sincerely,