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

Submission 2602

To the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee,

I am an unregistered provider of an intervention service supporting children with disability and developmental delay and their families. In addition to this, I am a parent of two children with disabilities who are NDIS participants.

Through my work and personal experiences, I have seen the life-changing impact of the NDIS in helping children build skills, participate in their communities, and reduce stress on families. I am writing because I am concerned about several proposed changes in the NDIS Future Generations Bill 2026.

While I support efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the NDIS, I do not support the provisions that would give the Minister the power to reduce funding without participants having clear avenues for independent review or appeal. I am also concerned about the proposed functional capacity assessments and the requirement for all participants to undergo reassessment from 2028 onwards, as well as the tougher unscheduled reassessment provisions and reduced review rights.

The children and families I work with already navigate complex systems, lengthy administrative processes, and significant uncertainty. Many children have developmental profiles that fluctuate over time. Their support needs can change depending on environmental demands, transitions, family circumstances, and stages of development. I am concerned that a standardised functional capacity process will not adequately capture the complexity of disability or the individual circumstances of participants, in the same way that their therapists are able to provide assessment and professional clinical interpretation and recommendations. I am also concerned that participants may lose vital supports based on assessment processes that do not fully reflect their lived experience, without having meaningful opportunities to challenge those decisions.

I frequently support families who experience considerable stress when engaging with the NDIS. The prospect of repeated reassessments, unexpected reviews, or funding reductions without accessible review mechanisms is likely to increase anxiety and uncertainty for many participants and families. For families already managing disability, caring responsibilities, and financial pressures, confidence that decisions can be independently reviewed is an important safeguard that helps maintain trust in the scheme.

I ask the Committee to recommend that participants retain strong review and appeal rights for any decisions that may reduce, suspend, or alter their supports. I also ask that any functional capacity assessment framework recognise the complexity and individual nature of disability and that reassessment processes be proportionate, transparent, and based on clear evidence of changed circumstances rather than routine administrative requirements.

The NDIS was established to provide people with disability with choice, control, and certainty. I believe these principles should remain central to any future reforms.

Thank you for considering my submission.