Submission 264

Inquiry: The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026.

23/05/2026

to whom it may concern,

please see below statement relating to personal current experiences as an ndis participant, and response to the national disability insurance scheme amendment (securing the ndis for future generations) bill 2026. having access to the ndis means that my wife and i are able to maintain our basic quality of life and stability. It allows me to engage with my community without placing the full burden of support onto my family, and it gives me access to the therapies and professional support that help keep me well, functioning, connected to the community, and able to continue working. Without these supports, i believe i would be at much higher risk of hospitalisation and long-term deterioration in my mental health and functioning. i feel extremely anxious about the proposed changes to the ndis act. This year I fully utilised my capacity building funding, and during the two months I was waiting for my new plan to roll over, I was left without professional support unless I paid out of pocket. I was too afraid to request a change of circumstances because I worried it could lead to my funding being reduced or used against me. During this period my mental health deteriorated significantly, I became acutely suicidal, relapsed in self-harm, and was unable to continue working. I ultimately required admission to an acute inpatient mental health unit. I strongly believe that having consistent and

Submission 264

adequate NDIS supports during that time could have helped prevent this crisis, and that

preventative community-based support is far less costly than inpatient hospital care. I also feel

deply concerned about the rhetoric surrounding these reforms.

The way the NDIS is being discussed in the media and by government is contributing to fear, stigma, and division toward disabled people within the community.

I do not feel that the proposed changes have been explained clearly enough. From my perspective, there has been very little clarity about how these reforms will work in practice beyond a general understanding that funding and supports may be reduced. This uncertainty itself creates significant anxiety and instability for people who rely on the NDIS to remain safe and functional.

If my supports were reduced, the impact would extend far beyond me personally. My wife would likely need to reduce her own work and take on significantly more caring responsibilities, placing her at much higher risk of burnout. Without adequate support, I would struggle to maintain employment, which would also affect the service I provide to the community in my role as a mental health clinician. I would likely become increasingly reliant on public health services, including crisis and inpatient care, which ultimately places a greater financial burden on the healthcare system and taxpayers than consistent preventative support through the NDIS.

If my social and community supports were reduced or removed, I believe I would become largely housebound. These supports are essential in helping me remain connected to my

Submission 264

community, maintain routine, and prevent isolation. Without them, I believe my mental health

would deteriorate rapidly.

If my capacity building supports were reduced or removed, or if I had never had access to them

in the first place, I genuinely believe it would place my life at risk or I would be already dead.

The level of support I currently receive is already minimal and tightly stretched and I am grateful

for it. However, any further reduction would likely mean reducing or discontinuing care with my

clinicians, which historically has led to severe declines in both my mental and physical health,

reduced ability for me and my wife to work, and much longer recovery periods or reduction/loss

of skills and life quality. Proactive and consistent disability care has a far better outcome for me

than waiting until I become unwell enough to require emergency intervention rather than reactive

or inconsistent support.

More broadly, I believe that supporting disabled Australians is fundamentally aligned with

Australian values of fairness, community, dignity, and giving people a genuine opportunity to

participate in society. The NDIS was created to recognise that disabled people deserve the same

chance to live safely, contribute meaningfully, maintain relationships, and participate in their

communities as anyone else. For many people, these supports are not luxuries.These are the

difference between stability and crisis, between participation and isolation, and in some cases

between life and death.

The current direction of the proposed legislation does not feel consistent with those values. The

increasing focus on reducing costs, limiting supports, and creating barriers to access is fostering

Submission 264

Fear and insecurity among disabled people rather than safety and inclusion. It sends the message

that disabled Australians are a burden to be managed instead of members of the community

worth investing in. I believe a compassionate and economically responsible approach would

focus on consistent, preventative, community-based support that allows disabled people to

remain well, connected, and able to contribute, rather than waiting until people reach crisis point

and require far more intensive intervention.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my submission.