National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2488
I am a sole parent of Autistic twins, due to previous family violence I am raising both children entirely by myself and we are extremely socially isolated with no available support from family or friends. The NDIS is a lifeline for my family.
My children are 11 years old, turning 12 this year. Both of them are Autistic and have global developmental delays. In order to best meet their needs we homeschool, with both children attending a local small public school for 3 hours a day, two days a week.
The proposed changes to the NDIS are deeply concerning to me, changes as written such as as:
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s 25B(4)Alternative supports could mean losing access to even more services, or even just the ability to attend swimming lessons which is a vital safety skill especially important to Autistic children. Currently we have the right to choose practitioners that best suit our needs and who align with our values, both of these facts are an important part of the success of any supports. Declared alternatives do not consider individual needs and therapy and support is not one size fits all
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S 34 (1G)-(1J) Parental presumption: As a carer I am already spread incredibly thinly, expecting me to give more is untenable. As a sole parent I cannot afford to pay the extra cost of disability on my own, access to sensory clothing is vitally important but not something I can fund by myself.
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s 34A Funding below total cost would put me out of pocket for important supports and services, and living on a carer pension means there is precious little leftover as it is.
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s 59B(4) Automated decisions: A computer has no right to decide on the value of human life, this has been attempted before with dire consequences.
I will outline further below how these proposed changes will affect my family.
Because of the NDIS we are able to access supports such as OT, psychologists and support workers. These supports have been both life changing and life saving to all three of us. Psychology has allowed both children to learn to advocate for their needs, and manage difficult feelings when they come up. OT has allowed them to learn valuable life skills and a be a part of the community, our support workers have become an extension of this.
Being disabled is expensive. Because of their disabilities both of my children require adaptive clothing, in particular shoes that are both a wider fit for sensory needs as well as accessible for them to be able to put on and take off themselves. These shoes cost roughly five times as much as a similar pair from K-mart however they foster independence and pride when my children can put them on and take them off easily and this feeling does not have a dollar value. Without the NDIS I would be unable to afford these shoes as a sole parent trying to exist on a carer’s income. Already I have been required to obtain a letter from an OT to justify the need for sensory clothing where previously this was considered reasonable and necessary. We have already lost the ability to access animal assisted therapy in our area.
Accessing supports through the NDIS has meant that both children have been able to transition to part time schooling, and engage in a small local community where they have for the first time in their lives been able to make friends. Where we live, there is nothing in the way of a local homeschooling community which has meant that they have been missing out on the ability to socialise with their peers. The supports accessed through the NDIS have made this possible.
As a sole parent, I shoulder a huge amount of responsibility in caring for our family, and I do it entirely by myself while trying to heal my own trauma. Support work in particular is essential to me as a caregiver as it allows me to do things that are both necessary for my own health and ability to care for my children such as attend doctor and allied health appointments as well has have some
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2488
time out to be a person in my own right- this time in total adds up to a few hours a week but is vitally important to my mental health. Without the support of our support workers I would find myself once again incredibly burned out and unable to support the needs of my children, or myself.
I am unable to work because of caring commitments, the need to homeschool my children for their wellbeing forms a part of this. We live on a fairly small income but just manage to make it work and this is purely because we have access to the NDIS. Without it there is no way I could afford the supports my children need to thrive and keep a roof over our heads or food on the table.
Without the NDIS my family will be doomed to struggle in every sense of the word. We will perhaps be able to exist but we won’t be living. Disabled people deserve to find joy in life, and have their needs met. The value of a human life cannot be measured in dollars saved.
I implore the senate committee to consider these changes through the lens of what it means to be a disabled person, consider that our needs are valid, and that we know our circumstances best, conduct an independent review into the real human cost these changes could bring about. Any person, at any time, can become disabled and all people deserve to have the support they need to live a fulfilling and happy life. Please consult with the community in a meaningful way before writing into law any changes to a service that has been a lifeline for so many people. The proposed changes are at best unneccessary, at worst they’re cruel.