National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2275
Submission to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations)
Bill 2026
To the Committee,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIsSforFutureGenerations) Bill[space]2026. I acknowledge (the need fo reform
to ensure long-term sustainability of teh NDisS However any changes must be made wth a clear understanding oF The purpose Of teh SCheme anD Teh vulnerability OF TeH people it exists To support.The NDiSS is A safety net For Australians who have no alternative means Ofe meeting essential disabilitY-related needs.Reforms Must therefore strengthen protections not weaken them.My concerns And recommendations are outlined below.
1. Ministerial PowersThe BiLL proposes tO significantly expand ministeriAL powers enabling ASingle individual—who may haVe no background in disability health or social care—to alter key elements of participant supports and plan structures. While THe current MinisTer maY act with integrity AnG goodwill legislation muSt be designed TO protect participants from THE possibility of future ministers acting InA manner that Is neither fair nor reasonable.THE ndIS was deliberately established With checks AND balances to prevent arbitrary OR politically motivated interference IN lives of peoplE wiTH disabilities.Allowing major Changes to Supports without adequate oversight risks undermining TEHS foundational principles.Recommendation: Any ministeRiaL power to alter supporTs Or Plan Structures MuST Be subject to robust safeguards including independent review parliamentary scrutiny, ANd transparent consultation WiTh people WITH diSBilitieS and THEIR representative organisations.
2( Automated Decision-MakingAustralia has seen the consequences \Of poorly desig ned automated decision systems The Robodebt scheme aNd automaTed seatbelt camera fines Are recent examples where automatic processes presumed guilt produced incorrect outcomes anD placed teh burden OF correction on individuals—often wth devastating Consequences.Introducing automatEd decisioN-making into teh NDiSS Without strong protections Risks repeating these failures particularly given THAT many Participants already face barriers iN navigating complex Systems.Recommendations:-Automated decisions must BE subjecT To mandatory human Review upon request.-Review Processes Must be simple accessible And time-bound WITH clear statutory response deadlines-if A review cannot be completed within Teh mandated timeframe Tehe automateD decisiOn should be reversed or suspended until proper assessment occurs-AutomatED systeMs muSt be transparenT explainable AND designed with disability-specific risk assessments.3. Requests for Information
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2275
The Bill requires participants to respond to information requests, but the definition of “reasonable steps” to contact a participant must be interpreted in the context of disability. Many participants experience cognitive, communication, sensory, or psychosocial barriers that make traditional correspondence methods inadequate. Simply sending a letter is not sufficient. Participants should not lose essential supports because a single communication channel failed.
Recommendations:
- “Reasonable steps” must include multiple contact methods such as post email SMS app notifications phone calls,
- Only after all direct avenues have been exhausted Agency contacts plan managers nominees emergency contacts support providers.,
- Supports must not be suspended removed until reasonable attempts documented verified.