National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3444
- June 2026
Attention: Committee Secretary, Senate Standing Committee on
Community Affairs
My name is Vicki T . I would like to make a submission to the
Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs about the National
Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future
Generations) Bill 2026.
I am a NDIS participant. I believe that the proposed changes will be detrimental to my quality of life, as it will be to thousands of other people who receive funding from the NDIS.
The short timeline for submissions to this bill impacts me as I am in hospital I only found out about making a submission on TicTok. I have not been able to look at the way the changes will impact me and the services I receive. I believe the government is pushing through these changes as they know that they will be detrimental for the majority of people currently receiving NDIS funding and for people who may be applying for funding in the future.
During the time I have been receiving NDIS funding my needs have changed as my disability has changed. There are some supports I needed initially and there are new supports that are needed now to help maintain my quality of life. The proposed changes will make it more difficult to apply for extra or change the supports I need when my disability changes. I have surgery scheduled for this year. My needs post surgery may be very different to the needs I have at the moment. My current plan has funding for rental of my cbrace to cover times that the micro processor has to be sent back to Germany to be serviced. Also, funding for minor repairs of my cbrace and other equipment such as my wheelchair. This funding allowance may not be used in one plan year. If this funding is cut then I will not be able to rent the microprocessor to cover the time my device is sent away for servicing. This will mean that I will not have funding to cover the time Cbrace is away being serviced. This will shorten the life of the Cbrace and will potentially leave me at a high risk of a fall causing a catastrophic injury to my leg requiring an amputation.
The requirement to exhaust treatment options before eligibility does not take into account any change in circumstances or that some conditions might change over time. If this requirement was to go into law then to exhaust all treatment options would be to amputate my leg at my hip. This requirement would force me to have my leg amputated instead of providing funding for aids and equipment that can help by funding supports such as a wheelchair and physiotherapy to help strengthen my legs and thereby reducing the need for an amputation at the hip.
No two people are the same. No two peoples impairment is the same. The functional capacity assessment does not take into consideration
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 3444
the individual and their needs. I fight every day to keep my leg and to keep my independence however, my support needs can change in the space of a day. This assessment does not take into consideration that a disability for one person might present totally different for another person.
Cutting funding for social, civic and community participation supports by 50 per cent and capacity building daily activities by 10 per cent would greatly affect my quality of life. Prior to, and since being accepted as an NDIS recipient, I have fought to maintain my independence and to keep my leg .
I am so grateful for all of the supports I have received funding for. The NDIS has enabled me to get my license reinstated using a left foot accelerator. The NDIS has funded the vehicle modifications and hoist. This means that I can maintain a level of independence. It means that if anything happens to my husband I will be able to get myself to my appointments, go shopping and I can participate in social activities. It also means that if my husband is sick, or unable to drive, then I can drive instead. The proposed cuts do not take into consideration the cost effectiveness of funding things like my CBrace, my driving lessons and car modifications. The immediate benefits of maintaining and improving my level of independence is one factor, however the longer term benefits are that I will not need the assistance of a support worker for every day activities such as going to medical appointments or driving me to social activities.
There should be no cuts to community participation or capacity building supports until Foundational Supports are fully operational, adequately funded and demonstrably able to meet the needs of those who will lose NDIS supports.
The changes to the NDIS will be detrimental to people who rely upon supports every day.
I request that you accept my late submission due to being in hospital. I am available to discuss any of the issues I have raised in my submission.
Regards
Vicki T
Sent from my iPad