MYMYMYMY LIFE,LIFE,LIFE,LIFE,IT’SIT’SIT’SIT’S
IIII CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE!
I GREW UP IN A CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY WITH MY SINGLE MUM, MY
BROTHER AND MY SISTER.
BEFORE THE NDIS, I ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF HOURS OF
SUPPORT EACH WEEK. MY FAMILY DID ALMOST EVERYTHING.
THEY HELPED ME GET READY, TOOK ME WHERE I NEEDED TO GO
AND SUPPORTED ME TO LIVE MY LIFE.
IT WASN’T EASY, BUT WE MADE IT WORK
AND I KNEW IT WASN’T FOREVER…….
As I got older, I wanted the same things as other young
adults.A LIFE AWAY FROM MY FAMILY
I wanted to study,GET A CAREER, work, make my own decisions and eventually move out of home.
II NEEDEDNEEDED PEOPLEPEOPLESubmission 3453 TOTO GETGET MEME
THERE!THERE! II NEEDEDNEEDED TOTO CHOOSECHOOSE
ChoosingChoosing MyMy TeamTeam
OneOne ofof thethe biggestbiggest decisionsdecisions II mademade waswas choosingchoosing independentindependent supportsupport workersworkers insteadinstead ofof aa largelarge provider.provider. ThatThat decisiondecision completelycompletely changedchanged mymy life.life.
WhenWhenWhenWhen IIII WASWASWASWAS WITHWITHWITHWITH aaaa providerproviderproviderprovider ,,,, IIII oftenoftenoftenoften feltfeltfeltfelt likelikelikelike IIII hadhadhadhad totototo fitfitfitfit mymymymy lifelifelifelife aroundaroundaroundaround theirtheirtheirtheir system.system.system.system. IIII hadhadhadhad totototo acceptacceptacceptaccept theirtheirtheirtheir rules.rules.rules.rules. TheirTheirTheirTheir policies..policies..policies..policies.. WhoeverWhoeverWhoeverWhoever theytheytheythey decideddecideddecideddecided totototo send.Isend.Isend.Isend.I COULDCOULDCOULDCOULD NOTNOTNOTNOT CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE! AsAsAsAs aaaa youngyoungyoungyoung adult,adult,adult,adult, mymymymy lifelifelifelife doesn’tdoesn’tdoesn’tdoesn’t NOTNOTNOTNOT FITFITFITFIT intointointointo aaaa boxboxboxbox OROROROR AAAA RULERULERULERULE BOOK.BOOK.BOOK.BOOK.
I want to discover who I am. I want to build a Career. I want to study and work. I want to make mistakes, learn and grow with the bpeople i choose. Most importantly, I want to choose who comes into my home and who helps me with my personal care. The people I have chosen aren’t just support workers. They are mentors. they have professional skills, education and lived experience that help me build my confidence, develop my career, succeed at TAFE and increase my independence. Because of them, I have achieved things I never imagined. I have gained employment in a mainstream workplace.
I have been offered opportunities I never would have receivedotherwise. My confidence has grown beyond anything I thought possible. I have learned life skills that will help me live independently.
This is what realThisbuilding is looks value capacity like. for
money.
it finally happened For the first time, I was able to move out of home. In March 2025, I moved from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to be closer to TAFE, work and my support network. I moved into Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). My support team believed in me and took that journey with me. For the first time, I felt like I was building a life that belonged to me.
The new bill will take away my freedom, choice and dignity. I will have to go to a big provider where I will become a number in the system, with no choice about who supports me, their skills, their personality or whether I trust them. My life will decline. I will be left with only my basic needs being met. I won’t be able to choose who does my personal care, who comes into my home or who supports me with building my skills (IF THEY CAN EVEN DO THAT)
THE PROPOSED CUTS TO COMMUNITY ACCESS FUNDING
MAKE ME SCARED THAT I WILL LOSE THESE
OPPORTUNITIES.
I WORRY THAT I WON’T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE BUILDING
THE LIFE I HAVE WORKED SO HARD FOR.
I WORRY THAT I WILL BECOME ISOLATED.
I WORRY THAT I WILL HAVE TO TURN DOWN WORK, STUDY
AND OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE I WON’T HAVE THE SUPPORT
TO GET THERE.
THE NDIS HAS NEVER BEEN JUST ABOUT MEETING MY
BASIC NEEDS.
FOR ME, IT HAS BEEN ABOUT BUILDING AN ORDINARY LIFE.
A LIFE WHERE I CAN WORK.
STUDY.
GO OUT WITH FRIENDS AND EVEN DATE
CONTRIBUTE TO MY COMMUNITY.
CHOOSE THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ME.
AND LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE.
THAT IS WHAT I AM AFRAID OF LOSING.
NOBODY
SHOULD
HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT
THIS OR HAVE TO
JUSTIFY THEIR
FREEDOM
It has taken so much effot to build the team I have today. These are the people I laugh with. Cry with. Ask for advice. my achievements with. Celebrate
CHOICE! AND IT MY
this access to able been I have that privilege and pride much so I have felt gone. be all it could bill, this new with and support, of I kind my plan, over control no with managed
registration I fear that ill have to become agency because the registeredfear that my team won't be able to become and expensive. lengthy is process skilled sole traders who have so highly genuine, about The NDIS hasn't thought much to offer beyond the basics.
I will be the one left with no choice and no control. If they disappear, support workers has given me more than independent The option to have support.freedom. It has given me It has given me choice.
It has given me dignity. to build a life that is truly opportunity it has given me the Most importantly, MINEAND I
CHOOSE!!
pleaseplease don’tdon’t taketake ititplease don’t take it awayaway away