National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment
(Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Attention: Committee Secretary, Senate Standing Committee on Community
Affairs
Submitted by email: community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au
Date: 30.05.2026
I welcome the opportunity to make a submission to the Senate Standing
Committee on Community Affairs about the National Disability Insurance
Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026.
I am an NDIS participant/person with disability. I have been on the scheme
since 2023.
I want to outline some of the harm this Amendment Bill will cause if it passes
Parliament.
This Bill is too far-reaching to pass as it stands. I believe the Bill requires
further scrutiny and amendment before it proceeds.
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National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
Parliamentary Scrutiny and Transparency
The consultation period for the Amendment Bill is two weeks, which is
insufficient to allow for appropriate consultation, considering accessibility and
communication needs. The Australian Government Guide to Policy Impact
Analysis says consultation should occur for a minimum of 30 days where
possible.
The short timeline impacts me by making it almost impossible for me to try to
access and understand/interpret the proposed legislation, and as I am
cognitively impaired and have very limited energy production, it has been very
hard trying to find a way to respond, in the short timeframe, and with any
confidence I will be concise and coherent. I do not have enough administration
support to support me in doing this, and not enough legal understanding to
interpret these policies effectively. I’ve had to push my limits to try to read and
understand the changes (very obtuse!) and then try to make a response. These
submissions never seem to amount to anything, so it feels like a complete
waste of my physical and mental resources, but if I do nothing, then I will feel
complicit in the harm these very obscure policies will create. I have to use
varied access technology to listen, and then software to help me process and
write a response. It takes many hours over many attempts.
*Recommendation: Amend the consultation period for a best practice
minimum of 30 days.
Key decisions left to ministerial instruments, not law
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
The issue: The Bill allows Ministers to change who gets NDIS support
(Schedule 1 Parts 8 and 9) and how much funding people receive (Schedule 1
Part 4; Schedule 3) by signing an instrument, without going back to
Parliament. The rules that will determine critical eligibility thresholds
(Schedule 1 Parts 1, 8 and 9) have not yet been written.
How this affects participants: The decisions that shape the lives of
participants, whether they qualify for the NDIS and what supports they can
access, could be changed without parliamentary debate or public scrutiny.
Participants may not know supports or eligibility rules have changed until their
plan is affected.
It took me over a year to get access to the NDIS when I was completely alone,
barely able to leave my bed, unable to clean myself or prepare food, and
completely desperate. Even when I got access, my practitioners documents
and recommendations were not considered and so I had to then fight to get
adequate supports for over 2 years. During that time, policies have changed 3
times, significantly affecting my care and my ability to manage my therapies,
assistive technology supports and carers. Even my plan manager and LAC
and Support Coordinator have trouble discerning what I can and can’t access
in way of support. Allowing these changes through without absolute
clarification and proper parliamentary review and transparency is dangerous.
Transparency and integrity should start with the policies, not allow
misunderstandings and surprise changes to plans. There are obvious holes in
many of these policies that have clearly not been thought out.
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
*Recommendation: Require that all decisions affecting NDIS eligibility and
funding levels be made through primary legislation subject to full
parliamentary scrutiny, with mandatory advance notice to affected participants
before any changes take effect.
Existing participants face narrower criteria and fewer rights to challenge
decisions
The issue: The Bill changes the rules for existing NDIS participants and makes
it harder to challenge some decisions about supports and funding. It also
restricts when you can request a reassessment, removes review rights for
automatic plan renewals, and makes funding reductions unreviewable
(Schedule 1 Parts 1 and 8). Combined with restrictions on reassessment
requests (Part 2), automatic plan renewals without review rights (Part 5), and
unreviewable funding reductions (Part 4), existing participants face narrower
criteria with significantly fewer avenues to challenge decisions about their
supports.
How this affects participants: This does not protect participants already on the
NDIS, who could be reassessed under stricter rules. If someone’s funding is
reduced or their plan renewed automatically, they may have limited or no
ability to challenge that decision. This could make it harder for people to get
extra support when their circumstances or disability change.
I lost my 2.5 year appeal because the ART was overwhelmed with too much
information submitted and I couldn’t get legal support to represent me and the
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
member found me too unconcise and emotional. It was a very lazy outcome. I
was heartbroken and am still trying to recover from the decline in my function
after the impact of the effort that went into the appeal, and the impact of the
loss and what that means for my safety, function and independence (nowhere
near optimised). 10 months later I’m still trying to recover and prepare another
review. I have no choice, I need more support. This policy will mean I cannot
file it. Which means I won’t get the support I need (supported by my
practitioners). But unlike me, most people who put in for review WIN their case
at ART. About 80%. So removing the right to appeal is clearly a stunt to stop
people getting the support they actually need. If the NDIA was forced to
actually read reports and recommendations, and fight without lawyers (a huge
waste of taxpayer money, while participants mostly can not get legal aid - while every criminal somehow does… 🤷🏽♀️) there would not be so much need for
review anyway. Again, the administration implementation and staff requires an
overhaul far more than the participants require admonishment. Not being able
to submit request for review means the NDIS can continue to not provide
appropriate support, despite evidence, and continue to just do what they want,
whilst participants suffer due to lack of supports.
Recommendation: Require a “no harm” safeguard ensuring no current
participant loses access to supports unless equivalent supports are in place,
with independent review rights before any exit decision and access to
unscheduled reassessments preserved.
Unreviewable ministerial power to cut funding across all support categories
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
The Minister can reduce funding for any support or group of supports by a
specified percentage through an instrument that cannot be challenged
(Schedule 1 Part 4). This applies across all budget categories. Unspent funds
will no longer carry over at plan renewal (Schedule 1 Part 5).
How this affects participants: A participant’s community participation, capacity
building or assistive technology funding could be cut without warning and
without any right to appeal. Participants who save unspent funds across plan
periods for high-cost items will lose that ability entirely.
I have 15hrs a week of core support (funds for support workers). About half is
allocated for daily living support and half for community and social. My FCA
has always recommended atleast 25hrs a week, and the bureau of statistics
recommends about 47hrs per week for someone with my impairments. I would
have been very grateful for 25. It would still limit me, but it would allow me to
actually use some funds to access community regularly (like church, and a
hobby), and actually see friends and family (currently able to use funds to
manage one or two visits a year). Almost all my funds are ACTUALLY used in
daily living support, not community and social. If this policy passes, it means I
could lose half of my support worker hours, which are already not enough. I,
like many with severe physical impairments, use almost all my funding for
basic daily living tasks and home support. There is already not enough for
being part of my community, or maintaining family or friendships. Losing what
I already have would be devastating and dangerous. As it is, I’m able to shower
once a week and have my hair washed once a week and if I’m lucky, I get my
lower legs shaved once a fortnight. I can’t get to many therapies and
appointments, or family or friends because i was denied transport support. I’ve
lost the funding for psychology and dietary and many forms of physio because
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
the decision makers are too incompetent to read and understand the direct
requirements of my impairments of my accepted diagnoses. My condition has
declined cognitively, gastro wise and pelvic function wise among other ways
since my funding use was restricted. Giving the NDIS the ability to continue to
further cut funding because they aren’t willing to read reports and are only
interested in budget cuts over actual working systems will continue to cause
my function to decline, and my mental health, quality of life and will go live
with it.
Recommendation: Require that unspent funds carry over at plan renewal for
participants saving for high-cost items and require independent review rights
before any funding reduction takes effect.
Requirement to exhaust treatment options before eligibility
The issue: A person with disability will need to exhaust treatment options
before they can be eligible for the Scheme (Schedule 1 Part 8). There will also
be a removal of whole-of-person assessment, replaced by single eligible
impairment consideration (Schedule 1 Part 3). The note that previously
acknowledged environmental factors and other ineligible impairments could
affect support needs will be removed (Schedule 1 Part 3).
How this affects participants: People with disability will need to prove their
impairment cannot be treated before they access the NDIS. Once in the
scheme, their supports will only be assessed against a single eligible
impairment rather than their whole experience. A person’s individual
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
circumstances will not be considered, including ability to pay for treatment,
where they live or whether treatment is actually available to them.
This is just not how most severe disabilities work. I have access for three
severe diagnoses with vast impairments with complex interplay. I already have
supports denied for what I have access for under even the current policy. How
much worse could it possibly get with this stricter policy. I had an idiot tell me
my height had nothing to do with my disability and he rejected a wheelchair
and sit-to-stand chair, because they were customised to my height (6ft4). It is
absurd to think that our whole dichotomy is not considered when our funding
and supports and needs are “considered”. I can not be smaller. I cannot
physically fit in many smaller “standard” assistive technology items. It’s just a
fact. Why am I being penalised for it, and barred from access to much needed
accessibility items? It’s discrimination and severely impacts my ability to
optimise my independence safety and function. I honestly am still completely
gobsmacked by the stupidity of this policy, and the elitist privileged tools who
think it’s reasonable in the world of disability. You also need to fix the fact the
NDIS administration conveniently “lose” accepted diagnoses terrifyingly
regularly, and participants don’t even realise their main impairment has been
changed or lost from the system, until they’re penalised or accused of fraud
for mis-spending because they’re spending on things unrelated to their
accepted condition. I’ve been fighting for 2 years to get them to fix my own. I
have signed access documents listing all three conditions, but they won’t fix it
into the system. Why are issues like this being left broken?
Recommendation: Do not proceed with a requirement to exhaust “appropriate
treatment” options – there are no safeguarding measures around participant
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
harm due to side effects or complications, a participant’s financial ability to
pay, or their geographic capacity to access treatments.
Unvalidated functional capacity assessment tool risks misidentifying need
The issue: The Bill shifts assessment from whole-of-person consideration to a
single eligible impairment (Schedule 1 Part 3). Read together with the eligibility
thresholds in Parts 8 and 9, the tool used to conduct functional capacity
assessments must be capable of sufficiently identifying whether a person
meets the threshold for that single impairment.
The named assessment tool is the Instrument for Classification and
Assessment of Support Needs (I-CAN). I-CAN requires validation to ensure it
will sufficiently identify the needs of all people with disability, including those
whose needs may be fluctuating or episodic and may not be captured through
a point-in-time assessment, and to ensure it is culturally appropriate for First
Peoples with disability.
How this affects participants: If the assessment tool does not accurately
capture the full extent of a person’s disability, including needs that fluctuate or
vary over time, a participant may be found ineligible or have their supports
undercounted, with no guarantee the result reflects their actual experience.
This absolutely terrifies me. They already don’t read reports from qualified and
experienced practitioners with relationships with participants. Who in their
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
right mind would consider a meeting of a few hours (I assume conducted over
the phone or zoom as I can’t get to in-person appointments due to my
disability and lack of transport funding), with a complete stranger, who has no
allied health qualifications, no medical training, and isn’t going to see own
homes, our whole person, or how we function IN the world.. how is that person
going to make the right decisions about our needs in such a short space of
time? I have severe cognitive impairments (verbal delays, delayed processing,
short term memory problems, word forgetfulness, severe energy production
dysfunction, auditory processing disorder and generally very severe fatigue
and brain fog). Expecting me to be able to explain everything I need in one
three hours sitting with someone not trained to ask me the right questions for
my particular disabilities and who has never seen me try to function in the
world is stupid, and incredibly disrespectful, and terrifying. The administration
already don’t listen. They already don’t fix mistakes they make, they already
send every review request to ART instead of rationally explore requests. I can
NOT believe anyone with a brain and a conscience could condone this tool,
when robodebt (created by the same fools) was such a disaster, and their
current system is already so incredibly flawed by either the world’s most
extreme case of whole office weaponised incompetence, or just complete lack
of care. You can’t seriously think the people who are making life damaging
mistakes already, are going to do a better job with a proven flawed tool, and
their already careless lack of integrity or concerns.
Recommendation: Do not proceed with I-CAN as the functional capacity
assessment tool unless it has been demonstrably validated to identify the
needs of all people with disability, including those with episodic or fluctuating
disability, and demonstrated to be culturally appropriate for First Peoples with
disability. And hire staff that are trained in allied health (not social workers, but
physios, OTs etc). By all means create a standard list and template for review
reports and access documentation, from qualified professionals, not
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
administration Muppets who don’t know what they’re doing and don’t care
about the impact! First port of call, hire professionals, read reports from
particpant practitioners and then create the individualised plans that always
should have been created.
Supports cut before replacement system is ready
The issue: From 1 October 2026, the government has announced funding for
social, civic and community participation supports will be cut by 50 per cent
and capacity building daily activities by 10 per cent for all participants,
reductions that will be implemented through the ministerial instrument power
in Schedule 1 Part 4. The Foundational Supports system intended to fill that
gap has no confirmed implementation date and is not yet operational.
How this affects participants: Supports that help participants connect with
their community, build skills and maintain independence may be cut before
anything exists to replace them, leaving carers and families with greater
responsibilities and no additional support. These supports are often what help
people stay visible, connected and safe.
I have autism, but I don’t consider it a disability and am not on the NDIS for
autism. I have access for 3 severe permanent disabilities that have destroyed
my life progressively. I’ve done everything I can to remain as independent and
functional as possible, but I now simply can not live safely without a lot of
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
support. I have no partner, no family close by, and have burnt out most
friendships due to my high support needs. I live alone. I tried to get into a
nursing home many years ago, but was declined due to being too young and
not having enough money to be there. I am now in a state unit, and on a
disability pension and on the NDIS. But I don’t feel safe. I am terrified, that due
to new policies and flawed adminstration, I will be one of the many who gets
dumped from the NDIS because some administrator doesn’t understand my
diagnosis and decides on a whim that I don’t belong. And there is nowhere
else for me to turn. I spent 15 years trying to get by alone, and only turned to
the NDIS when I’d deteriorated so significantly, that there really was nowhere
left to turn. So I can also imagine how terrified all the people on the NDIS for
mental health issues are feeling, when they seem to be the greatest target for
being exited from the NDIS, whilst there is nothing actually in existence to
support them without it. Because for me there is not. And I don’t trust one
word of the “there will be” because I’ve spent 15 years falling through the
cracks, with PHYSICAL disability.
Recommendation: Require that no reductions to community participation or
capacity building supports take effect until Foundational Supports are fully
operational, adequately funded and demonstrably able to meet the needs of
those who will lose NDIS supports. For a start, you need to build all-age and
youth nursing homes, hospices, and disability villages (like retirement homes
and villages depending on the level of support required). I love my little home
and I’ve worked hard and invested deeply in making it as safe and functional
as possible. The NDIS seems to work against me which is exhausting, but I’d
rather die than give up my home. But 15 years ago, and even 4.5 years ago, I
would’ve gratefully moved into a nursing home or village. I was bedridden and
unable to even type/write, brush my teeth/hair or hold a book. I will fight to
keep it. And continue to fight to make it as safe, independent and functional as
possible, with whatever assistive technology I can find to bridge the gap
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
between my dysfunction and regular function. As for my therapies and
supports, I’ve already had three cut from my plan, and I’ve only been able to
keep one partially, which is proving almost ineffective due to not being able to
afford to use it enough, and the other two are completely unattainable without
NDIS support. But this policy acts like theres adequate mental health support
from 6-10 subsidised sessions a year, and a whole 5 subsidised allied health
visits a year. What an absolute joke. Clearly none of these people have been
financially impaired and permanently disabled.
Lastly - I have used a base template from a disability organisation to help me
manage putting this together, but much of it is personalised obviously. It has
taken me a full 2 weeks to manage to put it together. I know it’s not enough.
But I can’t seem to do any better. And I’m so exhausted and now run out of
time and have to submit. I am so incredibly disappointed in the way this
government has chosen to see and treat people with disability. Literally
anyone can become disabled. I’ve never smoked or done drugs, I’ve lived a
heAlthy and clean lifestyle and been a working and tax paying member of
society most of my adult life. I finished school, got a trade, went to church,
paid my bills, kept fit, loved being part of community… And then because I
have shitty mysterious genetics, I got sick and started losing everything ,
despite spending every cent and favour I had on trying to find answers and
then solutions and then bridge the gap. I lost the fight. Now, its all about
fighting to get the right support to get stable and stay stable and then be
content and find a way to have a quality of life and be part of the world with
meaning. The NDIS is supposed to do that. It’s supposed to work with me so I
can do that. Instead, I’m treated like a leach and a criminal. I’m treated like I’m
the one that sets the rates for allied health and support workers, instead of the
one squeezing every cent out of every funding dollar to try to maximise my
supports and optimise my function, safety and independence. But even the
most economical solutions I come up with are instead treated as if I’m trying to
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2481
rort the system. It’s the worst gaslighting and misuse of power I’ve ever
witnessed. And it breaks my heart and kills the hope I have for having a future.
I am terrified of needing to turn to VAD if these policies that make no sense,
are not transparent, and are used cruelly instead of appropriately just keep
coming. I spend a lot of time trying to feel worthy of living. The NDIS is
supposed to support us. But I feel like I deserve to die, and that’s what they
want us to do. Please please please stop this hateful rhetoric and these
policies that will be used to further inhibit safety, function and independence,
and completely destroy autonomy and choice and control. The cruelty needs
to end.
Please consider.
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PWDA Template: Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026