NDIS Future Generations Bill 2026
To:
Committee Secretary
Parliament of Australia
Re: Submission on the NDIS Future Generations Bill 2026
- Introduction My name is , and I am the parent and primary carer of a child with disability who relies on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for essential supports. I am writing to provide feedback on the NDIS Future Generations Bill 2026. My submission reflects lived experience, ongoing engagement with the Scheme, and a strong interest in ensuring that the NDIS remains sustainable, fair, and eƯective for future generations.
I support the goal of long-term sustainability; however, sustainability must never come at the cost of access, equity, or the human rights of people with disability. Any reform must strengthen— not weaken—the Scheme’s founding purpose: enabling people with disability to live ordinary, dignified, and self-directed lives.
- Key Concerns and Recommendations A. Safeguarding Access and Eligibility The Bill must ensure that future sustainability does not result in:
Narrowing eligibility through administrative reinterpretation
Increased evidentiary burden on families
Delays in access for children who need early intervention
Recommendation: Embed explicit protections preventing the NDIA from tightening eligibility criteria through policy or operational guidelines without parliamentary oversight. Early intervention should remain accessible, timely, and based on functional need—not diagnosis alone.
B. Protecting Early Intervention Pathways Children, particularly autistic children, are disproportionately aƯected by shifting interpretations of “reasonable and necessary.” Families already face:
Requests for excessive reports
Short-term plans that disrupt therapy
Pressure to use non-evidence-based “alternatives”
Recommendation: The Bill should require the NDIA to apply early intervention principles consistently, transparently, and in line with contemporary clinical evidence. Sustainability must not be achieved by reducing supports for children whose long-term outcomes depend on early investment.
C. Ensuring Lived Experience is Central to Governance The Bill proposes future-focused governance mechanisms, but these must include:
People with disability
Families and carers
Allied health professionals
Community organisations
Recommendation: Mandate that all future governance bodies include a minimum proportion of members with lived experience. Sustainability decisions must be informed by real-world impact, not solely financial modelling.
D. Transparency and Accountability of NDIA Decision-Making Families frequently experience:
Inconsistent decision-making
Unclear reasoning
Requests for unnecessary evidence
Plans that do not reflect submitted reports
Recommendation: The Bill should strengthen requirements for:
Clear written reasons
Evidence-based decision-making
Independent oversight of NDIA operational guidelines
Public reporting on consistency metrics
This will improve trust and reduce the burden on the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
E. Avoiding Cost-Shifting to Families and States Sustainability cannot be achieved by:
Reducing funded supports and expecting families to fill the gap
Shifting responsibility to state systems that are already overstretched
Replacing necessary therapies with generic “community supports” that do not meet functional needs
Recommendation: Include safeguards preventing cost-shifting and requiring the Commonwealth to ensure that any “mainstream” alternatives are actually available, accessible, and appropriate.
F. Long-Term Sustainability Through Evidence, Not Restriction True sustainability comes from:
Early intervention
Workforce development
Reducing administrative waste
Improving planning consistency
Supporting participants to build capacity
Recommendation: The Bill should prioritise investment in evidence-based supports and system improvements rather than limiting participant access.
- Lived Experience Perspective As a parent of a child with disability, I see firsthand how NDIS supports:
Reduce long-term costs by preventing crisis
Enable participation in school and community
Support family stability and carer wellbeing
Build independence and reduce future reliance on intensive supports
Cuts or restrictive interpretations do not create sustainability—they create crisis, regression, and higher long-term costs.
The NDIS is not a welfare program; it is an investment in human potential. Future generations deserve a Scheme that is strong, fair, and grounded in the rights of people with disability.
- Conclusion I support the intention to secure the NDIS for future generations. However, sustainability must be achieved through system improvements, not by reducing access or supports for those who need them.
I urge the Committee to ensure that the NDIS Future Generations Bill 2026 strengthens the Scheme’s founding principles, protects participant rights, and embeds lived experience at every level of governance.
Thank you for considering my submission.