National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3296
NDIS Bill 2026: Economic benefits of the NDIS not acknowledged
About me
My name is Gisele and I am making this submission as a NDIS participant.
I am totally blind and have hearing loss.
I self-manage my NDIS funding.
My key take-away
Good economic policy should encompass costs and benefits .
The Social benefits of the NDIS
Although I understand that the government needs to ensure the NDIS remains viable, I am concerned by many of the changes proposed under the National
Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment ( Securing the NDIS for Future
Generations) Bill 2026.
Given the extremely short period for public comment on this lengthy and complex bill, I am unable to address all my concerns in this submission.
I will therefore focus on the New ‘ support determinations’ to be made by the Minister under proposed section34A)
The Minister has specifically referred to reducing funding in at least the ‘ social and community participation’ group of supports.
I rely actively on the funding under my Social and Community Participation budget to engage support workers to accompany me on various activities. This includes medical or other such appointments; health-related activities (such as going to the swimming pool); educational activities (such as going to adult learning classes; advocacy activities (such as attending conferences ;and social activities (such as going to the theatre or meeting with friends).
The social benefits of the NDIS are incalculable.
It is distressing to think that I will have to curtail my activities if funding for Social and Community participation is to be reduced in future plans.
The Economic Benefits of the NDIS
In 2021 Per Capita compiled a report titled False Economy: The economic benefits of the NDIS and the consequences of government cost-cutting.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3296
Although the stats cited in the report may be dated, the report’s finding that “Because the NDIS has such a strong impact on employment and in generating economic activity, underfunding the scheme has significant costs.” remains a factor the government should heed.
The impact of the cuts
I currently engage 4 support workers for regular weekly shifts, and several other support workers for occasional shifts.
I primarily recruit my support workers from the Hireup platform.
Any reduction in my Social and Community Participation budget will result in a reduction in employment hours and so in income for my support workers.
Consider that this factor is replicated for support workers across the scheme.
For some support workers, lesser hours may mean that they will turn to more secure employment.
Each time we go out with a support worker, we contribute to the economy in some way or other - Buying lunch, paying the entrance fee to the swimming pool or to the theatre or other venues; catching public transport or getting petrol for the car; shopping for clothes or other items; and so on and so on.
Consider this is also replicated across the scheme.
Each time I go out with a support worker , I am keeping at bay loneliness and depression. Consider the economic benefit of this factor when replicated across the scheme.
Each time I go out with a support worker I get exercise and this has a positive benefit on my health.
Consider this factor replicated across the scheme.
Fraud and other abuses
The government is correct to target fraud and other abuses in the scheme.
But the bill bundles too many other measures that need more consideration .
1 June 2026