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

Submission 2354

Introduction

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 and the potential impact it may have on people with disability, including my child and many other young Australians pursuing education, independence, and community participation. While I acknowledge the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and addressing fraud, misuse, and inefficiencies within the Scheme, I am concerned that aspects of the proposed reforms may unintentionally undermine the rights, opportunities, and certainty that participants and their families rely upon. My concerns relate to:

• Limited consultation and scrutiny of significant legislative changes.
• Potential narrowing of access through new eligibility and assessment frameworks.
• Increased reliance on delegated legislation and administrative rule-making rather than clear legislative protections.
• Greater use of standardised or automated decision-making processes that may fail to capture individual circumstances.
• Potential weakening of participant rights and review mechanisms.
• A growing focus on expenditure management rather than participant outcomes.
• The cumulative impact of these reforms on participants, carers, and families who rely on the NDIS to pursue education, employment, independence, and community participation. Any reform of the NDIS should preserve its foundational principles of choice, control, inclusion, and support based on individual need.

My child is autistic and was approved for NDIS funding after a lengthy process involving assessments, specialist reports, and evidence gathering.

My child has recently transitioned to tertiary education away from the family home. This transition represents a significant milestone towards independence, self-determination, and future employment. Access to appropriate NDIS supports has been critical in making this opportunity possible and sustainable.

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

Submission 2354

For our family, the NDIS is not simply a funding program. It has been a critical enabler of access to tertiary education, greater independence, and future opportunities.

Like many autistic young people, our child experiences challenges that are not always immediately visible. These challenges can affect executive functioning, daily living skills, social participation, emotional regulation, and the ability to navigate complex environments and systems independently. The supports provided through the NDIS help bridge the gap between aspirations and the barriers created by disability. Supporting young people with disability to pursue education is not only the right thing to do—it it also a sound investment.Thesupportsourchildreceivesincreasethe likelihoodof successfully completingtertiary studiesobtaining employmentachievinggreater financialindependenceand contributing meaningfullytothecommunity.Reducingaccesstosupportmayproduce short-term savingsbutitrisksgreate rlong- term coststhroughreducededucational attainmentpoorer mental health outcomesincreased reliance onfamily carers,and diminished workforce participation.I am concernedthat reforms which make acces more restrictive increase reassessment requirements narrow eligibility criteria or reduce participant supportsmay placeopportunities such as tert iareducation independentliving anda ndfutureemploymentat risk.Youngpeoplewithdisabilityshouldnothave t ochoosebetweenpursuingeducationa ndmaintainingthesupporstheyneedtsucceed.ImpactonFamiliesTheNDIS has enabled ou familytotosupp ortou child’sgoals inaway th atwouldotherwise no be possible.Without ND IS funding we would face difficult choices including whether tertiary stud ies could continuewhether our child woul d need toreturn tofamiliy home wheth er fami ly memberswoul dn eed reduc emple menttoprovidea dditionalsupport andwhethe roportuitiesfor independence educationanda nd future employm entwouldbesignificantlydiminished.Thes are not theoretical concerns They arerealisticconcerns faced by many families across Australia who rely the NDIS sup port their loved onesin pursuing meaningfuland productive lives.

RecommendationsI respectfully recommend thatthe Committee:

1. Oppose Bill current formorrecommend significant amendments strengthenparticipant protections2.Extend consultation undertake genuine co-design with people disability,families,carersrepresentative organisations.

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

Submission 2354

• Ensure eligibility criteria, assessment frameworks, and key participant protections are clearly defined in primary legislation rather than delegated to future rules or administrative processes.
• Introduce stronger safeguards around standardised assessments and automated decision-making, recognising the complexity and diversity of autistic people’s support needs.
• Preserve robust independent review and appeal rights for participants.
• Provide certainty for existing participants regarding ongoing access to necessary supports.
• Ensure participant rights, dignity, choice, control, and individual outcomes remain central objectives of the NDIS.
• Require transparent publication of assessment methodologies, evidence bases, and projected impacts before implementation of reforms.
• Recognise disability supports as an investment in education, employment, independence, and long-term social and economic participation.
• Ensure NDIS reforms continue to support participants pursuing tertiary education,vocational training, and pathways to employment by maintaining access to the supportsrequired for independent living and study participation.

Conclusion The sustainability of the NDIS is important. However,sustainability should not come atthe expense of accessibility,fairness,ttransparency,or therightsofpeoplewithdisability.Access ton DISISsupports has made it significantly easierfor our childtopursueteriaryeducation away fromthefamily homeand developtheskillsconfidenceneeded towork towardsanindependentfuture.This experience reflects exactly th typeoutcomethen DIDS wasdesignedtoachieve: supportingpeopledisabilityparticipateineducationdevelop independencecontribute

totheircommunities,andimproveturemploymentopportunitie.I encouragetheCommitteerecommend significant amendments t he Billorejectititscurrentformuntilmeaningfulconsultationhasoccurredandsrongerparticipant protectionsareincorporatedintothelegislation.I urge Committee carefully consider lived experiencesparticipantsfamilies ensure that anyreforms strengthenrather than weaken ability people with disabiltyaccesssupportsthe needpursueeduction,independencedemploymentcommunityparticipation.Thankyouconsideringthissubmission.Yours sincerely,[Name Withheld] Page 3