Hello there,
This may be slightly disjointed and I may not have answered every question I was short on time so I apologise for that.
What does the NDIS mean for you right now?
Right now the NDIS is the only thing that has me semi-functioning. Before I was put on the NDIS I couldn’t do anything for myself and I relied entirely on my mum who has a whole host of disabilities of her own. If I hadn’t been receiving support when I was I would have been left at home alone with my mum when she was sent to the hospital for a severe episode of burnout, if I hadn’t had a support worker come in that day I dont know what might’ve happened. The NDIS saved my life, and I can say with a high degree of certainty that without it I wouldn’t be here. The wonderful support workers I have been blessed with helped me realise my value, that I am not a burden and that I can have a fulfilling life beyond my complex mental and physical health issues. They saw me as more than my limitations and in doing so they have helped me see myself in the same way.
How do you feel about the proposed changes to the NDIS Act?
I feel sickened by these changes, I feel like I have been stripped of the little humanity afforded to me. I have already been made to feel like a product that the government sells to providers at the cost of my own dignity and self-worth. I feel like I’m being left behind by my country all because of things I have no control over. It’s not just the cuts that are affecting me it’s the public discourse around whether or not I deserve to have my needs met that is inescapable.
I am heartbroken over these changes. It is just more evidence of how little disabled people are valued by our society and elected officials. It makes me feel like less than a human being, like I’m a burden that has no worth in the eyes of the people who have my life in their hands. It terrifies me that our representatives would put any amount of money over the lives of human beings. What concerns me the most is the dishonesty of our country’s leaders, it does not make sense to make such huge cuts to the NDIS when for every dollar we put into it $2.25 is put into the economy. There is so much I could say but because of the short notice, I’ll stop myself here since this takes a lot out of me mentally, physically and emotionally.
Do you feel these changes have been explained clearly enough?
No, no I do not and even if they had been the explanations available make no sense.
What do the cuts to my social and community supports mean for me?
The cuts to my social and community supports mean that I would no longer be able to live, and I would be forced back into simply existing. My quality of life would plummet and I know I would withdraw because of it. With reduced social and community support, I would only be able to leave my home for appointments and the barest necessities. My mental health would break down and any attempt to better my life through hobbies, study or employment would be next to impossible.
What would these changes to the definition of permanence mean for you?
It’s exclusionary and elitist. It tells me that every person who is responsible for the changes has lost touch with regular people. There are so many reasons that would mean someone may not be able to try every available treatment and if you can’t see that I recommend you spend some time with some of the people you are making life changing decisions for.