Submission 2703
Submitted to: Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Submitted by: Confidential as to protect the privacy of my minor child
Date: May 2026
Submission on the NDIS Amendment Bill
I am writing as someone that will be affected by this Bill threefold — I am a disabled person, a mother and carer for a disabled person, and a service provider for other disabled people. The language I choose to use in how I describe myself (a disabled person), is my language alone, and I do not speak for all people with disabilities. I may use these terms interchangeably throughout this document.
I am submitting this document to strongly oppose the proposed changed to the NDIS through this Bill. I have serious concerns about the proposed changes and the impacts that these will have on disabled Australians, who have the basic human right to be treated with dignity and respect.
Having both professional and personal experience with the NDIS, I have seen first hand how life-saving and life-changing appropriate funding can be for disabled Australians. I have also seen firsthand the deterioration that occurs when funding is removed or denied. I can tell you that from personal experience, no one wants to go about their lives being treated as a second class citizen due to their disabilities — of which they didn’t sign up for or gain intentionally.
Before I go into further detail, if you are reading my submission, I implore you to consider one simple concept. Being disabled is the only minority group that absolutely anyone can join, at any moment. It can happen with no warning, and it can happen to you. If or when it happens to you, would you want your supports, rights and autonomy taken away from you? Would you like to struggle through a world not made for you, only to then have it made harder by a government that instead of addressing the actual issues, removes the supports you need to live a relatively normal life? I truly implore you to consider this, not only right now, but every day. Consider this the next time you leave your house, catch a cold, or consider having children. Any of these things can lead to lifelong disability. Would you want this life for yourself, your children or grandchildren?
Dignity and Respect
Changing the eligibility criteria for the NDIS as proposed, does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect.
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A permanent disability, is a permanent disability
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Treatment options can improve the impacts of a disability, however they cannot, and will not ever “cure” a permanent disability
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Treatment options are often financially or geographically out-of-reach for people with disabilities
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The amount of treatments that would be required for most people with disabilities, would likely even be financially out-of-reach for able-bodied people, considering the current cost of living ○ The median weekly earnings for Australians in 2026 is $1,425 (the DSP is $550.15/week). Let’s consider: ○ The average mortgage weekly repayments are $1077 ○ The average grocery spend for a single person is $80-150/week ○ Utilities - let’s assume that somehow, a single person can cover all of their utilities in $50 a week ○ Let’s give them some private health insurance (if they can even find an insurer to cover them with a documented disability) - that’s another $60~ a week (not including the out of pocket expenses) ○ The average frugal Australian, is already now only left with approximately $150/week, with not a single treatment completed. I haven’t even included transport, fuel, or the audacity to attempt to have a hobby, maintain relationships, or enjoy their life. ○ The recommended fee by APS for psychology is $318 per appointment, but let’s go with $270 since this is closer to the average charged. With a rebate of $145.25, that’s $124.75/session out of pocket ○ Private occupational therapy: $193.99/session ○ Physiotherapy: $70-120/session
Submission 2703
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Regardless of how inaccessible private treatment can be, the reduction of some impacts through treatment does not make someone no longer disabled
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Disability support needs often fluctuate, both with and without treatment and support. Allowing one single, able-bodied person the ability to cut funding to an entire funding category, without any co design or community input, does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect.
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Handing all the power to one Minister, to act however he sees fit, in a world that he has never experienced, without allowing any community input or co-design, is honestly deplorable
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56.1% of people with disabilities in Australia work - and Social and Community Participation funding is shown to contribute directly to allowing disabled people to work
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Social and Community funding allows disabled people to ○ Access their community (including working outside of their home) ○ Attend churches and/or groups ○ Experience nature ○ Attend medical appointments and therapies ○ Go shopping or for a walk ○ Take their children to school or sports ○ Literally anything that an able-bodied person does every single day within their community without a second thought ○ Live their lives
Withdrawing or pausing supports due to “non-contact”, does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect.
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Disabled people are not children. The NDIS should not be able to “ground us” from life-saving supports because we don’t answer their phone calls
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There is absolutely no reasonable excuse for a missed (and likely unnecessary) check-in to lead to a loss of funding for a person with disabilities
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NDIS are able to see if a plan is being used via claims and fund withdrawals etc. They know when a plan is being used appropriately. This is why receipts are required for upload etc. So again, there is no reasonable excuse.
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The NDIS also typically do not offer any alternative contact methods such as email, or even planning the call in advance. Expecting people with disabilities to be able to answer and engage in a phone call at any given moment, and then punishing them if they aren’t able, is completely unethical.
Forcing limitations upon when changes can be requested, does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect.
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Year after year, the NDIS rolls over plans without asking the participant if the plan is working for them, and then uses the statistics of “unscheduled plan reviews” against them.
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Support needs fluctuate, and do not occur on schedule. People with disabilities deserve to ask for support when they need it, not when they’re dictated that it’s acceptable.
Treating disabled Australians as lower value or importance, does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect.
Removing supports ~240,000 disabled Australians, including disabled children, does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect.
Instituting a bill that will lead to the loss of disabled lives does not treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect. The NDIS has a responsibility to the people of Australia living with disabilities to ensure that this does not happen.
This bill does not treat disabled Australians with dignity and respect, and thus violates our basic human rights. I ask the committee to consider this, and make the decision to treat people living with disabilities like people that deserve care and respect — because we do. I ask you to consider the efforts that people living with disabilities and our advocates
Submission 2703
have made to fight back against this bill. Should the day come that you become disabled, we would fight for you. Will you now make the decision to fight for us?
Thank you.
References used regarding the cost of living: Median salary https://studyworkgrow.com/what-is-the-median-salary-in-australia/ Average mortgage repayments https://www.loans.com.au/home-loans/average-australian-mortgage-size Average groceries https://www.wiselist.app/how-much-do-australians-spend-on-groceries/ DSP rate https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/payment-rates-for-disability-support pension?context=22276#:~:text=Maximum%20payment%20rates Health insurance https://www.canstar.com.au/health-insurance/what-does-health-insurance-cost/ Psychology https://psychology.org.au/psychology/about-psychology/what-it-costs https://covapsychology.com/blog/medicare-rebates-psychology-2026/ Physio https://backinmotion.com.au/blog/article/how-much-does-physiotherapy-cost-in-australia https://pwd.org.au/australian-bureau-of-statistics-releases-new-disability-statistics/