National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2579
Attention: Committee Secretary, Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs
Submitted by email: community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au Date: 1st of June 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 a Disabled community member as well as a family member and friend of several people accessing the NDIS.
My main concerns around this bill stem from the changes in communication and compliance requirements, as well as the general changes to reassessment and funding allocation.
I have deep concern over the effect of these changes and worry they will result in Disabled people who are already deeply struggling being cut off the only supports that are keeping them alive and/or functioning on a day to day level.
As a person living with disability, I am acutely aware of my changing capacity day to day - and that at times it is not possible to respond to administrative tasks within a set timeline. I am also aware how the support I receive keeps me from becoming increasingly unwell and able to function on a day to day level. For a person on NDIS having a health flare up, being hospitalized or experiencing unexpected life circumstances to be further penalised and punished for being unwell is not only inhumane, but counterproductive to how the government requires us to participate in society.
Living with disability often makes us far more time-poor than not-disabled people. Every day I must spend hours to maintain my health, whether that’s doctors appointments, specialist appointments, exercise or resting. Simple tasks that take others minutes often take me much longer. Every time I am unable to complete a task or attend a health appointment I fall further down and feel less able to maintain my job, my health and my relationships.
I would like the committee to understand that the NDIS not only keeps people experiencing disability alive, but it helps Disabled people to function with autonomy, consistency and dignity. I’m not sure how my family members who access NDIS would survive without the NDIS - but I know it would not only impact them but our whole family, communities, workplaces and ultimately all of our health. I see the NDIS not only as a safety net but also as a preventative measure to help people access the best quality of life they can.
I am also extremely worried about changes to accessing the NDIS, and people’s lived experience with disability being deemed “not enough” to access the NDIS. It is impossible to know someone’s experience and how hard it is for them to navigate everyday life. As an autistic person, some days I am experiencing such burnt out and executive functioning distress that I am unable to respond to an email, to cook for myself or to go to work. Some days I am at risk of losing my job due to this. I believe if I had greater access to support services I would be significantly more likely to consistently function and not face the risk of becoming jobless, homeless and further unable to manage my health conditions. This is what I mean when I say the NDIS is also preventative.
I do not support this bill and I ask for the government to withdraw this bill. I ask the committee to consider what is best for Disabled people’s quality of life, for our families, for our communities and for humanity within our society.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.