NDIA Accountability Project

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Reliance on standardised assessments impacting complex disability needs (Participant experience)

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

Submission 2725

Submission on the NDIS Amendment Bill

Name: (submission requested to be treated as anonymous)

Contact:

I am a: Disabled person

My main concern about this Bill is: I am concerned that changes to the NDIS may reduce access to the supports that allow me to live safely, participate in my community, maintain my independence, and manage my complex disabilities and medical conditions. I am also concerned about the increased use of standardised assessments that may not accurately reflect the reality of my needs.

This Bill may affect me because:

  • I require 24-hour support and rely on funded supports to safely access my community, attendmedical appointments, complete daily activities, and maintain social connections.

  • My disabilities, medical conditions, and functional capacity are complex, interconnected, and canfluctuate significantly from day to day.

  • Reductions to community access or respite supports would increase my isolation and place myphysical and mental health at risk.

  • Without adequate support, I am at greater risk of burnout, depression, self-harm, loss of skills, anddeclining independence.

  • Reducing supports would place additional pressure on my ageing foster mother, who alreadyprovides significant informal support.

  • I want to maintain choice and control over who supports me and how those supports aredelivered.

One example from my experience: I rely on support workers to help me leave my home, attend medical appointments, access the community, go shopping, connect with family and friends, volunteer when I am able, and participate in activities that give my life meaning. Without these supports I would become increasingly isolated, my mental health would deteriorate, and I would lose many of the opportunities that allow me to remain connected to my community and maintain my wellbeing.

What I want the committee to understand is: Disability support is not a luxury. It is what allows me to live a life with dignity, independence, safety, and connection.

My support needs cannot be accurately understood through a simple assessment or checklist. My disabilities and medical conditions interact with each other in complex ways, and my capacity can vary greatly from one day to the next.

I am particularly concerned about proposals that increase reliance on standardised assessment tools when determining support needs. I am concerned that a standardised approach may underestimate my support needs and result in reduced funding, reduced community access, and poorer health outcomes.

I am also concerned about any changes that make it harder to access supports that help prevent deterioration. Community participation, social connection, respite, and support to leave my home are not optional extras. They are essential supports that help me maintain my mental health, independence, skills, and quality of life.

I do not want disability-related support responsibilities shifted onto my family and friends. My informal supports are important because they are my family, friends, and emotional supports. They should not be expected to replace trained disability support workers.

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

Submission 2725

I am also concerned about changes that may weaken the rights of NDIS participants to challenge decisions that affect their lives. The current review and appeals framework provides an important safeguard when decisions are made incorrectly or when a participant’s circumstances have not been properly understood.

For many participants, the review and appeals process is the only mechanism available to correct decisions that do not accurately reflect their disability-related support needs. These safeguards are essential and should be strengthened, not weakened.

My position on this Bill: I have serious concerns.

Because: I am concerned the proposed changes may reduce the flexibility, choice, control, and person centred approach that have allowed me to live safely and participate in my community. I fear that decisions made through standardised processes may not accurately reflect the complexity of my disabilities, medical conditions, and support needs, resulting in poorer outcomes for people like me.

Recommendations:

  1.  Continue to recognise that disability is individual and cannot always be accurately

measuredthrough standardised assessment tools.

  1. Ensure decisions are informed by treating health professionals, allied health

practitioners,support teams, and people who know the participant well.

  1.  Protect funding for community participation, social connection, respite, and supports that

preventdeterioration and isolation.

  1. Ensure participants retain genuine choice and control over who provides their supports and

howthose supports are delivered.

  1.  Protect the rights of people with disability to live independently and remain connected to

theircommunities.

  1. Ensure reforms do not shift disability-related support responsibilities onto ageing parents,

carers,family members, or friends.

  1.  Maintain a person-centred approach that recognises fluctuating and complex disabilities

ratherthan relying solely on standardised processes.

  1.  Preserve the existing rights of participants to seek internal reviews, external reviews,

andindependent merits review through the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).

  1. Focus on improving the quality and accuracy of decision-making at the earliest stage rather

thanreducing access to review and appeal processes.

  1. Ensure participants continue to have access to an independent tribunal that can consider allavailable evidence and make decisions based on legislation, facts, and individual circumstances.

  2. Recognise that review and appeal rights are an essential safeguard for people with disability and should not be weakened as part of NDIS reform.

Closing statement: If the NDIS is to remain true to its purpose, reforms must recognise that people with disability are individuals. Support should be based on a person’s actual needs, circumstances, goals, and lived experience—not solely on what can be measured through a standardised assessment or administrative process.