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

Submission 2269 My nephew has Down Syndrome and has lived at home with this disability for 26 years. Currently he attends the following programs each week:

• Gym – two sessions (support worker needed to take him there and back) Life skills, performance and music at a specialised centre - two days Social outings — one day (support worker needed). Ultimately his parents aim for him to live in a supervised group home. It has not been communicated clearly how changes to the NDIS will affect my nephew. It seems that people with Down Syndrome will be disproportionately affected as much of their support is for social and community type activities. If this was the case then it will result in him only being eligible for gym activities.He wouldhave tobospend themajorityoftheweekathomewith supervisionasheisonlyabletobeonhisownforafewhoursaday.Thisisanotagoodlifeforall anyone—disabledornot. as many syndromesDownSyndromeisspectrum.Mynephewscapabilitiesaregoodinsomareasbutwitsocialisinghisonconfidentduetohisporespeech.Theproposed standardised assessment tooltodetermineaperson’sNDISaccesswillnotincludedifferences betweenpeoplewithasyndromethatspectrumsedeficits.IfthisisautomatedlikeRobodebt ,it isa recipefordisastrousassessmentsandwillassociate moreworkfopublicservantsand carersinthelongterm . Bothmy nephewsparents workandsupporthiminallaspectsofhislifebuthayre getting olderneedcertaintyaboutlevelsupportthatwillbereoffertothei son.Currently he issupported by three casualcarer sand staff at a disability service providerasanotedearlier Inpast my nephew hasbenefitedfromcapacitybuilding supportincluding life skills,cooking skillsandhetendedTAFE.Halsohadsupporfaractivitiesdailyliving e.g.howtocutup food,howsoshave and hadspeechtherapy.Before the NDIS his parents paid formany visitsto aspeech therapist.Skilled people are needed to teach disabled peopleskillstheymay not bereceptive or actively objectto familytryingteachthem. it is unfathomable tome that AUKUS fundingisnotquestionedhasno reviewandinall probability will mean Australia never getsasubmarineyet supportsforthe mostvulnerablepeoplesocietyisseverely cut withaimofcuttingfundings 160.000people.Currenthereison replacement suppotthese peopleasthestategovernmentshavebasicallycuteddisability servicesitwiltotakeintheframeproposedfornNDIScutsbeimplemented.Just because aperson no longer onNDSI doesmeantheir disabilitypasses.