National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3022
Committee Secretary, Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs
Parliament House, Canberra
RE: Inquiry into the NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track) Bill
Dear Senators,
I am writing to formally express my deep concerns regarding the proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
My name is and I am the mother of two NDIS participant, and . I am a family member who is directly impacted by the NDIS.
Specifically, I see the daily realities of both my sons, and .They both have been diagnosed with a permanent, recognised and rare chromosomal abnormality called “Chromosome 15q13.3 Microdeletion Syndrome.” Their daily challenges are profound, and navigating life with limited support is incredibly difficult.
I love both my sons dearly and routinely go above and beyond to ensure their safety, well being, and dignity. Throughout the years, I have provided a significant amount of support to both my sons so that they can enjoy a normal quality of life—the kind of standard health, safety, and community participation that those of us without a disability often take for granted.
Due to the intensive level of care required by both of my sons, I have had to stop working full-time and become their primary full-time carer. Prior to this, I worked in childcare, which allowed me to earn a stable income and adequately provide for my family.
Since leaving the workforce, I have experienced significant financial hardship and now struggle to meet my family’s day-to-day needs, particularly in light of the rising cost of living. Balancing the demands of caring for my sons while managing household expenses has become increasingly challenging.
Like many carers, I am ageing and I carry heavy psychological burden of worrying about what will happen to my two sons when I am no longer around.
The NDIS is a vital lifeline for my family. It provides the essential support structures that allow us carers to catch our breath, reset, and sustain our long-term caregiving roles. As a mother of 2 individuals that currently access the scheme, I am deeply concerned by the following aspects of the proposed legislation:
Unilateral Ministerial Powers: Giving the Minister the power to overrule the NDIA and cut participants’ plans arbitrarily undermines trust and strips stability away from vulnerable families.
Shifting the Burden of Care: The proposed 30% cuts to social and community supports will inevitably shift the unpaid care burden back onto families— disproportionately impacting women who are already stretched to breaking point.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3022
Threat to Local Service Provider Viability: Reducing community participation budgets will cause essential, specialized local providers to lose clientele, such as Fit N Able threatening their financial viability and reducing choice for participants.
Social Isolation: These cuts will reduce participants’ worlds, making their lives smaller and more isolated. Eliminating community access cuts out the very activities that foster joy, friendships, and independence.
Lack of Meaningful Consultation: This framework is being advanced without genuine co-design or thorough consultation with the very participants, carers, and frontline service providers who will bear the consequences.
Undermining Early Intervention: Reducing early intervention supports is a short sighted approach that will drastically increase long-term costs. Unmet needs do not disappear; they simply manifest later as crises in health, mental health, emergency departments, and the justice system. Furthermore, state governments have explicitly indicated they cannot replicate individualised NDIS services.
Automated and AI Decision-Making: The implementation of automated algorithms to assess and monitor plans is highly alarming. Human functional needs cannot be calculated by a computer program. We saw the devastating psychological and systemic harm caused by Robodebt when automated government systems lack human empathy and oversight.
Shift Towards a Welfare Model: These changes signal a regressive shift in how the government views the NDIS—treating it like a capped income-support or welfare scheme rather than an entitlement-based support system designed to foster community inclusion and independent living.
The NDIS was designed to ensure equity and dignity for Australians with a disability. I urge the Committee to reject changes that compromise these fundamental values and place undue hardship on participants and their families.
Thank you for considering my submission.
Yours faithfully,