National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3431
Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance
Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill
2026
I am not a NDIS participant myself. I am writing as someone who knows a number of people who rely on NDIS-funded supports and who would be directly affected by the proposed changes.
The people I know live with a range of disabilities, including physical disabilities, neurological conditions and neurodivergence. While their circumstances differ, they share one common reality: they cannot simply function independently if their supports are removed.
I know their support workers. I have seen the role they play in helping these people live safe, dignified and connected lives. These supports are not luxuries. They are not optional extras. They are often the difference between participation and isolation, between independence and crisis.
Many of the people I know have little or no family support available to them. In some cases, their families are no longer present. In others, family members are elderly, unwell or otherwise unable to provide the level of care required. The assumption that informal support networks can simply replace funded supports does not reflect reality.
I am concerned that the proposed changes fail to acknowledge the large group of Australians who may not appear disabled enough under stricter eligibility criteria yet remain unable to safely and effectively manage everyday life without assistance.
For some, support workers assist with shopping, appointments, transport, social participation and essential life administration. For others, support workers provide the structure and guidance needed to navigate a world that is not designed for their needs. Without that assistance, many would become isolated, vulnerable and increasingly dependent on emergency services, hospitals, charities or already overstretched family members.
The question I ask the Committee is simple: what is expected to happen to these people if their supports are reduced or removed?
Many are unable to maintain regular employment because of the nature of their disabilities. Many have limited financial resources. Many do not have family members capable of stepping in. If government-funded supports are withdrawn, what realistic alternative exists?
I fear that these reforms risk creating a situation where people remain genuinely disabled and continue to face substantial barriers in everyday life but are no longer considered eligible for the assistance that allows them to participate in society.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3431
The NDIS was established to improve independence, inclusion and quality of life for Australians living with disability. In the cases I have observed, it has achieved exactly that. The support workers and services funded through the scheme have enabled people to contribute to their communities, maintain social connections and live with dignity.
Removing those supports does not remove the disability. It simply removes the assistance that allows people to manage it.
I urge the Committee to carefully consider the human consequences of these proposed changes. Any reforms should recognise that disability exists on a spectrum and that many Australians require ongoing support even if they do not fit the most severe definitions of disability.
The measure of a society is not how it treats those who need no assistance, but how it treats those who do. I ask that the Committee ensure that no Australian is left without the support necessary to live safely, independently and with dignity.
Thank you for considering this submission.