National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2730
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment
(Securing the NDIS Future for Generations) Bill 2026
To: Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Since 2018, the NDIS has represented a lifeline for Jack to access essential support services, including social and community supports, as they navigated their disability. In the early days of the scheme, we were able to source supports as needed, and change the supports as their needs changed. We only spent what was needed and never exceed the fund allocation.
However, over the past few years we have experienced a steady deterioration of the scheme where plan managers (and others not directly involved in Jack’s support) have made decisions on the kinds of supports Jack can access, against the recommendations of their GP and specialists who comprise Jack’s health support team.
These changes have effectively locked funding to supports that Jack doesn’t want or need and prevented us accessing supports that would make their life richer and better. The proposed changes to the scheme risk dragging us even further back to the days before the scheme existed with a patchwork of state services that were consistently oversubscribed, disorganised, and disconnected.
If the proposed changes go ahead, we see it becoming harder and harder for Jack to access the services they need while spending more money and time running around between specialists and assessment. Splitting services between the scheme and state-based allied health means a lack of an integrated approach to supports and the potential for anyone with a disability falling between the cracks.
Finally, the change to require Jack to exhaust all available options before accessing the scheme is not only incredibly wasteful and dehumanising, it is yet another example of treating people with disabilities as a cog in the scheme rather than the most important person the scheme needs to serve. By definition, a disability is permanent and a person with disability should not need to jump through endless hoops before we decide to support them with dignity and respect.
Anthony O’Connell 29th May 2026