National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 384
28 May 2026
Committee Secretary
Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Re: Submission regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future
Generations) Bill 2026
Dear Committee Members,
I write to express significant concern regarding the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 currently before Parliament.
While I acknowledge the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), I am deeply concerned that many of the proposed reforms risk undermining the foundational principles of the Scheme, particularly participant choice and control, individualised support, procedural fairness, and equitable access for people with disability.
The proposed reforms appear to substantially expand discretionary powers while reducing transparency and accountability mechanisms within the Scheme. I am concerned regarding the reduced opportunities for independent review, limited visibility regarding how budgets will be calculated, and insufficient safeguards to ensure procedural fairness. Decisions that profoundly affect the safety, independence, and quality of life of people with disability must remain transparent, evidence-based, reviewable, and subject to meaningful oversight.
I am additionally concerned that the proposed tightening of eligibility and “reasonable and necessary” support definitions may disproportionately exclude vulnerable participants or reduce access to essential supports. Framing disability supports primarily through the lens of fiscal sustainability risks shifting the Scheme away from its intended purpose as a rights-based social support system.
The proposed changes risk increasing burden and distress for participants, families, carers, and providers who are already navigating a highly complex system. Frequent reassessments, increased administrative requirements, uncertainty regarding future eligibility, and shortened consultation timeframes contribute to significant anxiety and instability within the disability community.
Reforms of this scale and significance require genuine co-design and meaningful engagement with people with disability and the broader disability sector. It is essential that the voices and lived experiences of people with disability remain central to all NDIS reform processes, consistent with the principle of “nothing about us without us”.
I respectfully urge the Committee to carefully consider the concerns raised by disability organisations, allied health professionals, participants, families, and advocates regarding this legislation. In particular, I request that the Committee recommend:
- Greater transparency regarding proposed assessment and budgeting methodologies
- Retention of strong independent review and appeal rights
- Meaningful safeguards regarding automated decision-making processes
- Preservation of the role of qualified allied health professionals in assessment and planning
- Trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and disability-specific assessment approaches
PO Box 602, Yarrawonga VIC 3730
Phone: 0409 843 556 Email: leialewis.ot@gmail.com ABN: 51 650 439 731 Page 1 of 2
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 384
- Genuine co-design and extended consultation with the disability community prior to implementation
- Clear protections to ensure participants are not unfairly excluded from the Scheme or disadvantaged by standardised assessment models
The sustainability of the NDIS is critically important. However, sustainability must not come at the expense of fairness, human rights, participant safety, or the individualised supports that people with disability rely upon to participate meaningfully in society.
Thank you for considering this submission.
Yours sincerely,
Registered Occupational Therapist
PO Box 602, Yarrawonga VIC 3730
Phone: 0409 843 556 Email: leialewis.ot@gmail.com ABN: 51 650 439 731 Page 2 of 2