National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2425
Submission for the Senate Inquiry into the new NDIS Bill
What does the NDIS mean for you right now?
• Being on the NDIS now means I have access to support workers who can drive me to my regular specialist, medical and therapy appointments. I can’t access these things via public transport. I can’t navigate bus travel because of my physical disabilities, and the train doesn’t go near where I have these appointments. • It gives me the opportunity to go out into the community, to enjoy a meal out, go to the movies, see a friend, join in classes that interest me, enjoy the West Coast Fever netball, explore my local area and state; to volunteer as a leader at Girl’s Brigade, church and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research with the help and support of a support worker • I have help with self care, to do my shopping, food preparation, cooking, cleaning, and gardening • I can buy items of Assistive Technology that help me to live my life in a safe manner. I can get these things repaired or replaced when I need to • The NDIS gives me help through a plan manager who manages all the paperwork and pays invoices involved in my daily supports and therapy as I can’t do that myself • The NDIS helps me to manage, access and make the most using the funding and supports in my plan via a Support Coordinator • The NDIS enables me to access the many therapists I need to maintain and improve my physical, cognitive, and mental health well being through funding and the help of support workers • The NDIS gives me the opportunity to have company through a support worker, and through accessing recreation activities and the community • I have support on the many occasions that I have to go back to hospital for further treatment related to my disabilities. Due to past hospital and disability related trauma, I need support to even get through the door of a hospital. The NDIS and my support workers provide that for me when needed. I take some time to fully recover from anaesthetic and am a high falls risk. It is so important that I have someone with me to speak and advocate for me when needed.
How do you feel about the proposed changes to the NDIS act?
• I am absolutely terrified of the changes to the NDIS that are being put out there • I am afraid that my life, and the lives of so many people is going to be affected drastically by removing vital therapy supports including neurophysiotherapy / physiotherapy, OT, psychology, speech therapy, podiatry, and the orthotist • Personally, I am very scared of the inevitable impact and decline in my physical, cognitive, and mental health well-being if these changes are passed • I am afraid that my life and those of many other people with disabilities will be confined to the four walls of our homes, unable to go anywhere or do anything
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2425
• I am afraid that I, and many people with disabilities could end up homeless because of these proposed changes • I dread having to face future hospitalizations without support. My family all live in Qld, and I have only a small friend network here after moving to WA twelve years ago • I will be extremely limited in what I can eat without support because of my disabilities- including ABI, neurofatigue, severe erosive osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, FND and right-side hemiplegia. This will have a very negative effect on my health, directly opposite to my plan goal to ‘Improve my health and well being’ • I believe that will apply to many participants as a result of these proposed changes. • I fear the inevitable increase of potential suicides among participants if these changes are passed
Do you feel these changes have been explained clearly enough?
• One word- NO!!! • There has been little to no adequate communication with the disability community OR the public about these proposed changes • There has been nowhere near an acceptable amount of codesign with the disability community before dumping this on us in the manner
What would these changes mean for you, your family, friends, carers, or community?
• Me: They would have a devastating impact on me as I live alone, have a limited friend network and my family all live in Qld. Without support workers I struggle to leave my home, and I can’t access my many therapies and specialists, let alone enjoy activities in my local community. Without access to therapy, my health and well being will deteriorate potentially leaving me more reliant on other people, the medical system and hospital. Without the items of AT I need, I will be unsafe in my home and community. • Family: My family is also very anxious and concerned about these potential changes and their impact. My parents are limited in how they can assist me directly as they are both in their 80’s, and the rest of my family have very busy lives • Friends: I know that my friends who are aware of these proposed changes and have some degree of understanding about what they could mean are genuinely concerned for me and for others in the disability community • Support Workers: My support workers are very worried about how this will affect me and their other clients. They, and their boss are also very concerned about their own job security • Community: The community has been grossly misled by the way the NDIS has been portrayed in the media, social media, and the politicians closest to the matter. It is a common belief that participants and providers are all rooting the system and committing massive amounts of fraud and that all participants are
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2425
using the NDIS to go on overseas holidays. This is simply put- UNTRUE. The Minister for the NDIS himself has openly admitted that the issue of Fraud that has been claimed is widespread and across the majority of providers is only a small part of the proposed changes. There needs to be far GREATER and MORE HONEST education in the community about the TRUTH about the NDIS.
What would happen if your social and community supports were reduced or removed?
• I would basically be housebound, unable to access the community, medical specialists, therapy or to do the volunteering I enjoy with Girl’s Brigade, church, and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medicak Research • My physical, cognitive, and mental health would deteriorate because of the above issue. This would lead to the need for increased help through the medical, hospital and mental health systems • I would have an extremely limited life, restricted to my home, caring for my cat, and only able to access parts of the community that are nearby and safe for me to navigate
What would happen if your capacity building supports were reduced or removed?
• The reduction or removal of my capacity building (therapy) supports would lead to major physical, cognitive, and mental health deterioration for me • I see several therapists regularly, including neurophysio/physiotherapy, psychology, audiology, general OT, and specialist hand OT. I also access podiatry and orthotist less frequently • Several medical specialists help in managing my disability related conditions, including physician for diabetes, orthopaedic surgeon for arthritis, neurologist for ABI, neurofatigue, cognitive impairment and FND, neurosurgeon for ABI, hydrocephalus, and shunts • Reducing or removing capacity building supports would mean I could no longer access the people I need to live my life as safely and independently as I can • Removing or reducing access to vital therapists would ultimately lead to my having to be placed in care due to physical, cognitive, and mental health decline
What would the proposed changes to the definition of ‘permanence’ mean for you?
• These changes should not affect me as there are no ‘treatments’ other than consistent and ongoing therapy (Neurophysio/physio, OT, psychology, audiology) for my disabilities • My disabilities have been permanent and stable for 23 years. They will not go away. They can not be ‘fixed’. All my multiple, complex disabilities are as a direct result of my primary disability, ABI • I do feel very strongly that the expectation for people with disabilities to try all ‘available’ treatments, even if unaffordable or not available in your area before being considered ‘eligible’ for the NDIS is absolutely ridiculous and fails to take
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2425
into account the reality of family or individual financial situation, or people’s ability to travel elsewhere (if another treatment is deemed ‘available’). Most people with disabilities spend their lives being poked, prodded, operated on, having endless therapy and frequent hospital stays. • NO ONE- Not the NDIS or any other person or organisation has the right to force someone to undergo treatments ‘just in case’ they might help! It is the right of the family or individual to decide what they are willing/able to do…and the NDIA/S has NO RIGHT to force it on them