Submission to the Senate Inquiry
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations)
Bill 2026
To the Senate Committee,
I am writing as a parent of two children, , who are NDIS participants with disabilities requiring ongoing therapeutic, developmental and capacity-building supports. We have experienced firsthand the challenges involved in obtaining appropriate and individualised supports through the NDIS, and I am deeply concerned that several proposed amendments in the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 may reduce access to essential supports for children with complex developmental needs.
The NDIS has been life-changing for our family. Early intervention, specialist therapies and individualised supports have helped our children develop communication skills, improve independence, participate in education, and engage more meaningfully with their community. These outcomes have only been possible because the Scheme has recognised that every child is different and requires a tailored approach.
Concerns Regarding the Proposed Amendments
- Loss of Choice and Control One of the founding principles of the NDIS is that participants and their families have choice and control over the supports they receive. We rely on trusted therapists and specialist providers who have spent years understanding our children’s needs, learning styles, behavioural challenges and developmental goals. The proposed amendments may limit flexibility and reduce the ability of families to select providers best suited to their child’s circumstances.
For children with autism and developmental disabilities, consistency is critical. Changes in therapists, support workers or service arrangements can cause significant setbacks in progress and increase anxiety, behavioural challenges and family stress.
- Increased Ministerial Powers I am concerned by provisions that would allow significant funding and support decisions to be made through Ministerial determinations rather than through full parliamentary scrutiny. The proposed amendments appear to create the possibility of substantial reductions to support categories without adequate consultation with people living with disability and their families.
Families like ours need certainty that essential therapies and supports will continue to be available based on individual need rather than future policy or budget decisions.
- Delays in Accessing Plan Reassessments Children’s needs change rapidly. Development is not linear, and periods such as school transitions, social challenges, emotional regulation difficulties or changes in health can significantly increase support requirements.
The proposal to extend the timeframe for considering reassessment requests to 90 days is particularly concerning. Families often seek reviews because circumstances have already changed and additional support is urgently required. Waiting up to three months for a response could leave children without adequate support during critical developmental periods.
- Automated Decision-Making and Standardised Planning
Perhaps my greatest concern is the increasing reliance on automated processes and standardised assessments. Disability is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Even where children share a diagnosis, their functional capacity, communication abilities, behavioural support needs, sensory challenges, educational participation and family circumstances can be vastly different.
each have their own strengths, challenges and support requirements. No automated assessment tool or algorithm can adequately understand:
The importance of early intervention.
The impact of communication difficulties on daily life.
Family and caregiver capacity.
The risks associated with underfunding therapy supports.
The individual goals and aspirations of each child.
Planning decisions should continue to be made by qualified professionals who can assess a child’s circumstances holistically rather than relying primarily on standardised assessments.
- Reduced Ability to Challenge Decisions Families must retain strong rights to review and appeal decisions that affect their children. If funding decisions become increasingly driven by broad administrative or legislative mechanisms, participants may lose practical opportunities to challenge decisions based on their unique circumstances.
Transparency, procedural fairness and independent review rights are essential safeguards that should be preserved.
- Risk of Funding Decisions Being Driven by Budget Targets I acknowledge the need for the NDIS to remain financially sustainable. However, sustainability should not come at the expense of participants receiving supports that are reasonable and necessary.
For families like ours, early intervention and ongoing therapeutic support are investments that reduce the likelihood of more intensive and costly support needs in the future. Funding decisions should continue to be based on assessed need rather than broad budget objectives or category-wide funding reductions.
The NDIS was created to provide individualised support that enables people with disability to achieve their goals, participate in their communities and live with dignity. I respectfully urge the Senate Committee to carefully reconsider amendments that may:
Reduce participant choice and control.
Increase Ministerial powers without adequate oversight.
Delay access to plan reassessments.
Expand automated decision-making.
Weaken review and appeal rights.
Prioritise budget outcomes over individual need.
As a parent of , I want a system that recognises each child as an individual and continues to provide the flexibility and support necessary for them to reach their full potential. I ask
the Committee to ensure that any reforms strengthen—not diminish—the principles upon which the NDIS was founded.
Yours faithfully,