Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the NDIS Bill- Safeguard
and Quality Commission Funding
My name is , I am a passionate Western Australian born citizen and I am writing as the sister and advocate of an NDIS participant, , who is highly vulnerable and unable to independently advocate for himself or communicate concerns in the same way many others can. lives with multiple barriers such as .
In my experience, the complaints and safeguarding process within the NDIS has felt under resourced, slow, emotionally exhausting and extremely difficult to navigate during already distressing circumstances. I believe this reflects broader systemic issues within the disability sector.
My concerns are not theoretical. My family has directly experienced serious safeguarding failures involving a highly vulnerable NDIS participant who cannot independently advocate for himself.
On 14/12/2025, my brother was subjected to a serious assault while in NDIS-supported accommodation by a support worker entrusted with his care and safety. Following the incident, — who, again, is highly vulnerable and unable to effectively advocate for himself — was left without medical assistance for more than 30 minutes despite visible injuries and clear signs of distress.
He was left with a bloodied nose after being punched in the face, severe scratches across his right shoulder blade and significant bruising to his right arm. Medical attention was only provided after our mother arrived unexpectedly at the accommodation and personally discovered the condition he had been left in. My brother lost so much blood during that time he was required to have a blood transfusion later that night in Hospital.
To know that a vulnerable person with disability could allegedly be assaulted, left injured without immediate care and remain entirely dependent on a chance family visit for medical intervention is something that continues to deeply devastate our family.
No person with disability should ever experience this within a system designed to provide care, safety, dignity and protection.
My brother was also subjected to deeply concerning restrictive practices and environmental restrictions within supported NDIS funded accommodation. This included occasions where the electricity to the home was reportedly turned off externally at the mains, restricting his access to power within the house.
There were also multiple reports of “Cost Response” practices being used inappropriately. In my brother’s case, this involved confiscating his mobile phone — a highly valued personal
item — in order to pressure or force compliance with activities he did not wish to participate in.
My brother was repeatedly forced into community outings every single day by a previous NDIS funded House Manager despite clear indications this was negatively impacting his wellbeing. Support workers were allegedly threatened with cancelled shifts if they did not comply with the House Manager’s demands regarding these outings.
This created significant wellbeing and safety risks for both my brother and staff. There are documented incidents involving behavioural escalation during transport, including near motor vehicle accidents. My brother lives with and requires appropriate rest and recovery. Forcing constant community access against his wishes and wellbeing needs caused unnecessary distress and risk to his health. This is all well documented in a Behaviour Support Plan written by in July 2025.
Knowing these events occurred within an NDIS-funded support environment has been devastating for our family. It has reinforced my belief that stronger oversight, faster safeguarding responses and significantly greater resourcing for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission are urgently needed.
We are now approximately seven months into an active investigation regarding my brother’s assault and neglect and our family still does not have clear answers about what occurred that day.
We still do not know whether the support staff involved were appropriately removed from participant care, whether they remain employed within the disability sector or what meaningful accountability measures have actually occurred as a result of these serious incidents.
What has also been deeply painful for our family is the lack of acknowledgement, compassion or even a simple apology for what my brother experienced.
My brother was harmed within a system that is supposed to protect, support and safeguard vulnerable people with disability. Instead, our experience has too often felt like families are left to fight endlessly for answers, accountability and basic human dignity after serious incidents occur.
No family should be left in limbo for months while trying to advocate for the safety and basic human rights of a vulnerable loved one.
I strongly believe the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission requires significantly greater funding, staffing, investigative capacity and stronger enforcement powers to properly manage serious complaints in a timely and effective way.
There must be:
faster responses to complaints involving harm, assault, neglect, abuse or participant safety
stronger oversight and accountability of disability support providers
better communication and transparency for families during investigations
greater recognition of the role family advocates play in protecting vulnerable participants
and safeguards that ensure non-verbal or highly vulnerable participants are not overlooked within the system.
The emotional impact this experience has had on our family has been profound and ongoing. No family should have to live with the fear, stress and heartbreak of wondering whether their vulnerable loved one is truly safe within a system specifically designed to protect them.
I urge the Committee to seriously consider increased funding and resourcing for the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to ensure faster, more effective responses to serious incidents involving harm, neglect, abuse and participant safety. There must also be stronger consequences and harsher penalties for individuals and providers who fail in their duty of care towards vulnerable people with disability.
People with disability deserve more than policies on paper — they deserve real protection, genuine accountability and a system capable of responding with urgency when their safety and wellbeing are placed at risk.
Thank you for considering my submission.