National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2962
Submission to the Committee
Dear Committee Members,
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback. I am writing to you from a unique, dual perspective: as a dedicated NDIS worker and as a parent of a child living with disability in regional New South Wales.
While I fully support robust reforms aimed at eliminating fraud, waste, and poor practice within the NDIS, I am deeply concerned about the severe, unintended consequences these changes may have on regional communities.
The Reality of Regional Healthcare Deficits
In regional NSW, the intersection of NDIS support and mainstream healthcare is already at a breaking point. We are not just facing “gaps” in service; we are facing a systemic failure of basic access.
Extreme Wait Times: For regional families, accessing basic primary care is a multi year hurdle. It took me six years just to secure a local General Practitioner for myself, and obtaining consistent GP care for my children during this time has been an ongoing battle.
The Downstream Effect: When a community lacks primary care, health predictably deteriorates. Furthermore, without a GP, participants cannot secure the vital referrals required to access secondary support services and specialized therapies.
The Downstream Risk of Reducing Carer Supports
In an environment where medical professionals are scarce, NDIS carer supports are not a luxury—they are a lifeline. Carers and support workers do far more than assist with daily living; they are the scaffolding holding vulnerable participants together. They manage complex health and wellbeing needs, facilitate attendance at often distant appointments, and help to coordinate fragmented care.
If reforms inadvertently make carer supports more difficult to access, the fallout will not happen in a vacuum. The burden will inevitably shift onto an already exhausted, overstretched rural health system.
Conclusion and Recommendation
I urge the Committee to apply a “regional lens” to any proposed NDIS reforms. Please carefully consider the downstream risks to rural healthcare infrastructure and ensure that policy changes do not penalize regional participants who already suffer from a geographical lottery of care.
Thank you for considering my submission and for your commitment to ensuring the NDIS works for all Australians, regardless of their postcode.
Sincerely,
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 2962