National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 350
Letter Raising Concerns Regarding the NDIS Future Generations Bill
26/05/2026
Committee Secretary Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600
RE: Concerns regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Dear Committee Secretary,
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA) writes to raise serious concerns regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 and the potential impacts the proposed amendments may have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, families and communities.
NATSIWA is the national peak body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women across Australia. We work to ensure that the voices, lived experiences and priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are centred within policy reform, service delivery and national decision-making processes. NATSIWA forms part of the National Women’s Alliances, alongside Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA), the Working with Women Alliance (WWWA), the National Multicultural Women’s Alliance (NMWA), and the National Rural Women’s Coalition (NRWC). Together, these alliances provide advocacy and representation for diverse groups of women across Australia, including women experiencing systemic disadvantage, marginalisation and intersectional discrimination. NATSIWA stands alongside Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) https://wwda.org.au/our- resources/publication/gendered-risks-of-the-ndis-amendment-bill-2026/ and many other disability and community organisations, in expressing deep concern regarding the limited timeframe provided for consultation on this Bill and the significant implications the proposed amendments may have for people living with disability, their families and communities.
We strongly believe that reforms of this scale require meaningful co-design, comprehensive consultation and transparent impact analysis before legislative changes are progressed. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly women with disability and carers, must be actively included in these processes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experience disability at significantly higher rates than the non-Indigenous population. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics,
PO1 Box 70 MORTLAKE VIC 3272 T 0481458339 E ceo@natsiwa.org.au www.natsiwa.org.au ABN 27 732 591 422
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 350
approximately one in four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people identify as living with disability, with many experiencing severe or profound limitations. These experiences cannot be separated from the ongoing impacts of colonisation, systemic racism, poverty, intergenerational trauma and unequal access to culturally safe services.
NATSIWA is deeply concerned that the proposed changes within the Bill risk further entrenching inequality and undermining Closing the Gap targets, particularly in relation to health, social and emotional wellbeing, economic participation and access to culturally appropriate care and support services.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women already experience disproportionately high rates of chronic illness, disability and caring responsibilities. Women in remote and regional communities face additional barriers, including limited access to specialist services, workforce shortages, transport challenges, digital exclusion and increasing cost- of-living pressures. Any tightening of access to the NDIS or reduction in available supports will disproportionately impact these women and communities.
We are also concerned about the broader social and economic impacts the Bill may have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, as primary carers. Many women undertake unpaid caregiving responsibilities not only for immediate family members, but also for extended kinship networks and community members. Reductions in support services place additional pressure on women, affecting workforce participation, financial security, mental health and community wellbeing.
The proposed reforms also raise serious concerns regarding ageing and disability support pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples often experience age-related health conditions earlier than the broader population, resulting in eligibility for aged care services from the age of 50. However, aged care systems are not designed to replace disability supports, nor do they adequately respond to the cultural, social and community needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, remaining connected to family, community and Country is fundamental to wellbeing. The potential reduction of supports that enable people to remain safely within their communities risks causing significant social, emotional and cultural harm.
NATSIWA respectfully urges the Committee to carefully consider the disproportionate impacts this Bill may have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, families and communities before progressing the proposed amendments further. We thank the Committee for considering these concerns and welcome continued engagement on these important issues.
Yours sincerely,
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA)
2 PO Box 70 Mortlake VIC 3272 T 048458339 E ceo@natsiwa.org.au www.natsiwa.org.au ABN 27 732 591 422
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 350
2 PO Box 70 Mortlake VIC 3272 T 048458339 E ceo@natsiwa.org.au www.natsiwa.org.au ABN 27 732 591 422