NDIS Senate Submission 2026

Submission regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the

NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

To the Senate Committee

My name is i and | am the grandmother and primary carer of my 22 year old

granddaughter who has been diagnosed with Autism L2.

| am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposed changes to the NDIS, particularly:

• the intent to decrease funding for community participation ¢ the removal of 160,000 participants of which people with ‘mild to moderate’ autism appear to be the main target and

• the message that people with a disability are a burden to taxpayers. | applaud the initiative of Thriving Kids if this ever gets off the ground as early intervention for my

granddaughter would most likely have enabled her to manage better as a teenager and young adult and decreased her need for NDIS support in later life.

Without early intervention my granddaughter lived through her childhood years being misunderstood, severely bullied and labelled as lazy, stupid, difficult and sensitive. The only advise from school was to have her diagnosed with something so that they could receive extra funding for an education assistant that would not necessarily be used for her. The truth is that there is currently no help out there for these children.

It wasn’t until she became mentally unwell and refused to attend school at the age of 13 that she was referred to mental health services and a clinician alerted us to the Autistic traits that she identified. Mental health do not work with autism so there was little help to be had from there. Next step is diagnosis at a cost of $2500 which my daughter could not afford and as she also needed to work and could not manage the ongoing school issues my granddaughter came to live with me.

| moved her into a CARE school where little care was actually given. She was further bullied by

exclusion for the next 3 years. It was once again recommended that she be assessed for autism and she was ultimately diagnosed with ASD level 2, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and PTSD.

Finally we had answers and she was granted NDIS funding based on her diagnosis. Her funding has enabled her access to occupational therapists, psychologists and most importantly support workers. Her improvements are steady and clearly identifiable.

Generalised anxiety disorder is frequently a co-morbidity of ASD. In my granddaughters case anxiety rules her day. She is unable to access the community without support.

With NDIS funding she has learned how to cook, clean and generally look after herself in the home. She has found an amazing registered provider where she finally ‘fits in’ with others. She has learned how to drive although still trying to get her licence and has been able to attempt some work opportunities with support. She has been able to go away from home for short stays and achieved increased independence.

Her supports are not just taking her to the movies, out for coffee or shopping as portrayed in the media. They are teaching her how to survive in a world that terrifies her. She can now talk to shop assistants, do her shopping and buy a coffee without help. None of this would be achievable without the NDIS.

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

Submission 2370

Her confidence is increasing and I can see a day when she will no longer need support. Her current goal is to leave home and live independently but she cannot achieve this without ongoing support.

The NDIS has been setting her up for success but I am terrified to think that AI will determine her next plan and if she becomes one of 160,000 to lose her funding all will be lost. She will regress without continued support and community participation funding and will go back to sitting in her room and quite frankly there are no other services available to her.

Saving the budget for the NDIS to look good on their spreadsheet will hit the many participants diagnosed with ‘mild to moderate’ autism. I can assure you there is nothing ‘mild to moderate’ in the level of disability experienced by this cohort of individuals. These people will end up flooding mental health and other health services that are already working beyond capacity. What is occurring here is simply cost shifting.

I implore you to relook at how well the NDIS does for hundreds of thousands of people and focus on ensuring strong oversight of service providers, investigating any rorts that are being identified, prosecuting these people and making examples of them.

Thank you for reading my submission