National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 3654 - Supplementary Submission

Submission on Behalf Of

to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

This submission is made on behalf of , an NDIS participant with significant disability and support needs. is not able to prepare a submission of this kind independently. It is written from the perspective of his family, with the aim of explaining how the proposed changes may affect a person in ’s position.

   needs the NDIS to support him to live safely, with dignity, and as part of the

community. His needs are not limited to tasks inside the home. He needs support to manage daily life, participate safely in public, regulate distress, communicate his wishes, and be treated as a person with rights and preferences.

The proposed reduction to social, civic and community participation supports is of particular concern. The Government has said that from 1 October 2026, budget allocations for these supports will be reduced by 50 per cent as plans are reassessed or renewed.

For , social and community participation support is not a lifestyle extra. It is a safety and dignity support.

   can become anxious, overwhelmed or distressed in busy, crowded or noisy

environments. He needs support to recognise when he is becoming distressed and to move away before the situation escalates. He also needs one-to-one support to understand what is happening, follow through with tasks, make choices, and participate without being shamed or treated as a problem.

    cannot reliably advocate for himself. If something is wrong, he may not be able

to explain it clearly. If support is reduced, he is unlikely to be able to complain effectively, challenge unsafe arrangements, or ask for the right help. This makes him especially vulnerable to decisions that look administratively simple but have serious practical consequences.

       is also at a major transition point. He is moving from family living toward

supported living because the current home arrangement is no longer safe or sustainable. At this stage of life, community participation and one-to-one support become more important, not less. Without enough support, is at risk of isolation, distress, unsafe public situations, and crisis-driven decisions.

The NDIS should help prevent crisis. It should not wait until a person has become isolated, unsafe or unwell before support is treated as necessary.

       's family is concerned that broad reductions to support categories will not

National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026

Submission 3654 - Supplementary Submission

Properly recognise individual circumstances. A general percentage reduction may look even on paper, but it will not affect participants equally. People who cannot self- advocate, who need one-to-one support, or who rely on others to recognise distress will be placed at greater risk.

The public discussion around NDIS reform is also distressing. Participants such as should not be made to feel that needing support makes them suspect or burdensome. The focus should be on dignity, safety, inclusion, and good administration, ot on blaming disabled people for system problems.

On ’s behalf, I ask the Committee to recommend that the Bill not proceed in its current form.

In particular, I ask the Committee to recommend:

1. That reductions to social, civic and community participation supports not be applied in a way that places people like at greater risk of isolation, distress or unsafe community participation.

2. That participants with intellectual disability, Down syndrome, psychosocial or behavioural support needs, and limited capacity to self-advocate receive specific safeguards before any reduction to supports.

3. That the NDIS recognise one-to-one community support as necessary for some participants, not as an optional or recreational support.

4. That planning and reassessment decisions consider transition points, including movement from family living to supported living, where support needs may increase rather than decrease.

5. That the Government consult directly and meaningfully with participants, families, carers and advocates before implementing changes that affect daily life, community access and dignity.

   deserves the chance to live safely, be supported as a person with wishes and preferences, and remain connected to community life. The NDIS should protect that goal.