Submission Regarding Proposed NDIS
Legislative Changes
To the Committee,
Thank you for considering my lived experience as a 51-year-old woman living with psychosocial disability and as a long-term participant of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). I have been an NDIS participant for approximately six years. Prior to accessing the NDIS, I spent many years isolated by disability and living in unsafe circumstances, including family violence. At that time, my husband was my primary carer, and the situation became abusive and dangerous. Accessing the NDIS was a lengthy and difficult process. It took approximately three years to gather the required medical evidence and demonstrate the permanency of my disability. I was required to apply more than once before finally being accepted into the scheme.
Despite the challenges of accessing the NDIS, the support I received through the scheme has significantly improved my safety, independence, mental health, and quality of life. The NDIS provided the support necessary for me to leave an abusive environment, rebuild trust with support networks, and begin participating safely within the community. With appropriate psychosocial supports, I have been able to live more independently, maintain stable housing, support my family relationships, and contribute positively to my community. Importantly, the NDIS has enabled me to play an active role in the lives of my grandchildren and maintain meaningful social and community participation, which are essential protective factors for my mental health and wellbeing.
Concerns Regarding Proposed Legislative
Changes
I am deeply concerned that the proposed
changes to the NDIS legislation may significantly reduce the supports that enable people with psychosocial disability to live safely, independently, and with dignity. My concerns include: increased reliance on functional capacity assessments that may not adequately consider psychosocial disability or fluctuating conditions reduction of supports that enable social and community participation increased ministerial powers with reduced oversight and accountability the use of automated decision-making processes in disability support systems narrowing definitions of eligibility and foundational supports
Concerns Regarding Functional Capacity
Assessments
As a person living with psychosocial disability, I am concerned that functional capacity
assessments may focus too heavily on isolated tasks rather than a person’s overall wellbeing, safety, and ability to sustain community participation. Psychosocial disability is complex and fluctuating. A person may appear capable in one environment or on one particular day while still requiring significant ongoing support to maintain stability, safety, housing, relationships, and community engagement. Social participation is not optional for many people with psychosocial disability — it is a critical component of maintaining mental health, reducing isolation, and preventing deterioration. Without adequate supports, I fear: increased isolation and reduced community participation deterioration in mental health and wellbeing loss of independence reduced mobility and ability to maintain healthy
relationships increased risk of crisis and hospitalization inability to continue meaningful family roles, including involvement with my grandchildren Reducing these supports may ultimately place greater pressure on the broader health and crisis care systems.
Concerns Regarding Decision-Making and
Assessments
I am concerned about proposals that may allow non-medically qualified staff or automated systems to make significant decisions regarding participant supports. People living with complex disabilities deserve assessments that are informed by qualified health professionals who understand the full impact of disability, including psychosocial and cumulative health conditions. Disability cannot always be accurately assessed through standardized processes or automated
systems alone. Individual circumstances, lived experience, safety, and long-term wellbeing must remain central to decision-making. Given the significant harm experienced by vulnerable Australians through previous automated government systems such as Robodebt, I believe strong safeguards, transparency, and human oversight are essential.
Conclusion
The NDIS has been life-changing for me. It has improved my safety, independence, mental health, and ability to participate in society. I respectfully ask the committee to ensure that future reforms protect: social and community participation supports participant safety and wellbeing holistic, medically informed assessments fairness, transparency, and accountability in decision-making the dignity, independence, and quality of life of
people living with disability The NDIS is more than a funding system. For many Australians, it is the difference between isolation and inclusion, crisis and stability, dependence and independence. Thank you for considering my submission.