Re: Vote NO to proposed NDIS legislation and protect social Inclusion funding under the NDIS
I am writing as a mother of an adult son with multiple disabilities to urge you to oppose the proposed NDIS legislation and any reduction in funding for social inclusion supports under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and to advocate for amendments that protect the rights, dignity, and community participation of Australians with disability. This legislation if passed will not do this. Labour says it is to tackle fraud but there is nothing in this legislation that does that. It is pulling funds away from those who are the most vulnerable and putting them at great risk.
While I understand the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the NDIS, sustainability cannot be achieved by this legislation and by removing the very supports that help people remain healthy, independent, and connected to their communities. Reducing social inclusion funding may appear to save money in the short term, but it will create significantly higher costs across health, mental health, aged care, housing, and social services in the years ahead.
Social inclusion is a human right
People with disability have the same right as every Australian to participate in community life. It also assists with inclusion and people understanding and valuing people with disabilities, preventing abuse form devaluing.
Australia has committed to upholding these rights through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This Convention recognises the right of people with disability to:
- live independently and be included in the community
- participate equally in recreation, culture, leisure and sport
- access education and employment
- make choices about their own lives
- participate fully in political and public life without discrimination. These are not optional extras. They are internationally recognised human rights.
The NDIS was established to support people with disability to achieve these outcomes, not simply to provide personal care or basic daily living assistance.
Social inclusion is preventative investment
Programs that support community participation help people build confidence, friendships, independence and resilience and it a protective factor against abuse as people are out of homes in the community for people to see what is happening.
These supports reduce:
- loneliness
- depression
- anxiety
- hospital admissions
- behavioural crises
- reliance on emergency services
- family breakdown
- carer burnout. Research consistently shows that strong social connections improve physical health, mental health and overall wellbeing. When people remain connected to their communities, governments spend less on crisis responses. My own son overcome Mental Health concerns and behaviours of concern through continual social and community participation. He is supported to volunteer in the community giving back to the community and promoting inclusion.
Cutting social inclusion funding will cost Australia more
This legislation and reducing the social inclusion budget by half would not eliminate costs. It would simply move those costs into other government systems.
The likely consequences include:
- increased emergency department presentations
- greater demand for mental health services
- higher rates of hospital admission
- increased use of crisis accommodation
- earlier admission into residential care
- increased demand for homelessness services
- greater reliance on the justice system
- increased use of intensive disability supports after preventable deterioration. Every one of these services costs taxpayers significantly more than preventative community support. Investing early is good public policy and good economic policy. Investing in people with disabilities has been lacking for years and this is why we appear to have a blow-out. Its catch up on bad policy from previous governments.
The impact on people with disability
For many participants, including my son, social inclusion funding is what allows them to leave their homes, maintain friendships, learn new skills, volunteer, attend community activities and build confidence.
Without these supports many people will experience:
- severe social isolation
- declining mental health
- loss of independence
- reduced physical health
- increased risk of abuse and neglect
- reduced employment opportunities
- loss of confidence built over many years. Many participants already experience barriers that most Australians never face.
Removing social inclusion supports increases those barriers instead of removing them.
The impact on families and carers
Families cannot replace the supports provided through social inclusion funding.
If these supports are reduced, unpaid carers will be expected to fill the gap. In my case I do not have family to support me, and I am aging myself with health issues.
This legislation if passed will result in:
- increased stress and mental illness
- carer exhaustion ( a major issue in my own life)
- poorer physical and mental health
- financial hardship(I will have to stop working)
- reduced workforce participation
- relationship breakdown (which has already occurred in my case do to the stress)
- increased demand for respite and crisis services. Many carers already provide unpaid support worth billions of dollars to Australia’s economy every year. Reducing funded supports places even greater pressure on families who are already doing everything they can.
For me personally if the legislation goes through, I will have to stop work to look after my adult son as I’m a single mother with no family in SA. That means I could eventually loose my home, become welfare dependant, and would send me into poverty. Women again suffering at the hand of government policy if this legislation goes through.
The Independent NDIS Review recognised the importance of community inclusion
The Independent NDIS Review acknowledged that disability support should enable people to participate in everyday life, strengthen community inclusion and improve outcomes beyond basic care.
The Review recognised that building inclusive communities and providing early supports reduces long-term demand on the Scheme and other government services.
This vision should be strengthened—not weakened.
A sustainable NDIS must also be a fair NDIS
Australians understand the importance of responsible government spending.
However, sustainability should focus on:
- reducing fraud
- improving administration
- ensuring value for money
- investing in early intervention
- strengthening community supports
- improving access to mainstream services. It should not come at the expense of people’s human rights or opportunities to participate in society.
Removing supports that prevent isolation is neither compassionate nor economically responsible.
My request
I respectfully ask you to:
- vote against this proposed legislation
- oppose any reduction to social inclusion funding under the NDIS
- ensure community participation remains recognised as an essential support
- amend legislation where necessary to protect participant rights
-
uphold Australia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
-
support reforms that improve the Scheme without reducing opportunities for people with disability to live full and meaningful lives.
A society should be judged by how well it includes all its citizens.
Social inclusion is not a luxury.
It is a human right, strengthens families, builds stronger communities, it improves health and increases independence. Most importantly, it saves taxpayers money by preventing far more expensive problems before they occur.
I urge you to stand with people with disability, their families, carers and the wider community by voting NO to this legislation, protecting social inclusion funding and ensuring that any NDIS reforms strengthen, not diminish the purpose of the Scheme.
Thank you for considering my submission.
Yours sincerely,