National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2868
I am writing to you on behalf of my family and myself.
Four out of five of us in our family are on NDIS and it helps us on a daily basis. For myself I am autistic and ADHD. I am also a full time carer for my children and my dad with dementia. I was a young carer from when I was a child. NDIS has not only supported me to develop the skills I need to run and manage my household but it has also allowed me to return to work and run a successful business. I went 12 years not working in paid employment and feeling like a failure that I couldn’t contribute to society the way that I wanted too. I am a qualified teacher finishing a bachelor of education and completing two masters of education and a diploma of counselling. And I couldn’t work in a field that I spent 11.5 years training in and that I have a massive HECS debt in, that was growing every year because I haven’t earnt enough money to pay it off. Having NDIS and the goal of finding and maintaining employment has not only meant that I can return to work but I can pay taxes, it has meant that I feel that I am contributing to society, that I have been able to work in roles that are making a difference in the world. I can sit on advisory committees for state and federal governments, advisory committees for carers and SA ambulance and other organisations. Bringing my lived experience to these places I can see the difference I am making. If I (or my children) lose their NDIS funding I won’t be able to work I won’t be able to achieve my goals and pay taxes. I will have to stay at home and do tasks that are beyond what an every day parent and individual does. The complex nature of having a disability yourself and being a carer yourself for five people is huge. I already do more in my day then a typical person does. I am already maintaining everyones funding, appointments, therapy, medical issues, school, school refusal, extra teacher meetings, early school pick ups when they aren’t managing school, working myself and maintaining my house, trying to have a social life and a successful marriage. And that is with supports in our household. Without the supports we have I shudder to think what my mental health and health overall is going to look like.
My three children rely on therapy and their supports that they have to access community and get through life in general. My oldest has been on NDIS from near the start and has worked so hard with their therapist to get to where they are today. They have successfully completed school and now attending university. They work very short part time hours with support. But none of this would have been possible without the support from therapists, mentors and supports. My middle son has NDIS for therapies and behaviour support. As a family we would be so lost without this support as we have had huge behaviour concerns. This is something we are still working through and would be lost without this support. My youngest has only just been diagnosed and if her funding gets cut I am worried she is not going to reach her full potential. I just want my kids to be safe, included and achieving ehat they want to achieve in life.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2868
Please stop this bill for me, my kids and my disability community as a whole.