Impact of NDIS amendment bill on child with ASD, ADHD, anxiety and adjustment disorder (Family or carer experience)

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

Submission 2642

PWDA Template: 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: 1 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 family member/carer of an NDIS participant.

I want to outline 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.

Parliamentary Scrutiny and Transparency

The short timeline impacts me by limiting my ability to seek professional advice, gather evidence from therapists and educators, and adequately articulate the complex, intersecting needs of a child with ASD, ADHD, Generalised Anxiety and Adjustment Disorder.

Key decisions left to ministerial instruments, not law

For a child with ASD, ADHD and co-occurring anxiety disorders, consistency and predictability are critical. Sudden changes to eligibility or supports without warning could destabilise routines, increase anxiety, and lead to regression in behaviour, emotional regulation, and learning.

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

Submission 2642

Existing participants face narrower criteria and fewer rights to challenge decisions

This would significantly impact my child, whose needs are variable and often escalate during periods of stress or transition. If funding is reduced or a plan is renewed without proper review, we may be unable to advocate for necessary increases in supports.

Unreviewable ministerial power to cut funding

A reduction in supports such as therapy, behavioural intervention or social skills programs would directly affect my child’s ability to regulate emotions, engage in education and participate in daily life.

Requirement to exhaust treatment options before eligibility

This would disproportionately impact a child with complex neurodevelopmental and mental health needs, where there is no single treatment pathway and progress depends on ongoing, multidisciplinary support.

Unvalidated functional capacity assessment tool risks misidentifying need

A child with ASD, ADHD, anxiety and adjustment disorder may present very differently depending on the environment or stress levels, meaning a single assessment could underestimate needs.

Supports cut before replacement system is ready

Reducing supports for social participation and capacity-building would significantly impact my child’s ability to develop independence, social skills, and emotional resilience.