National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 482
My name is Sarah Waardenburg.
I’m a queer, First Nations self-advocate with intellectual disability and brain injury.
I live with nerve damage and chronic pain.
I am an NDIS participant.
I’m concerned about the changes that the government wants to make to the NDIS.
I am concerned that I will be kicked off the NDIS because my condition will be seen as “not as serious” as some other people. But I still need help and support.
If my plan gets cut and I lose my social and community participation funding, I won’t be able to travel down to Melbourne to connect to my self-advocacy community, and my First Nations community.
It will make it hard to do anything.
I will lose all the small supports that you might not think about but they make my life possible.
If they want to save money, why doesn’t the government focus on going after the service providers that rip off participants, take their money, and don’t do their job?
These providers take the money from the people with disabilities that need it and don’t do their job.
When people don’t have enough support to get out and connect with their community, they get isolated. They can development mental problems, then you have to pay a lot to go see a psychologist, or you end up in hospital. That will cost the government more money.
Cutting people off the NDIS will end up costing the government more money in the long run because people will be struggling and relying on things like hospitals, mental health supports, and supported accommodation.
It’s about more than money, it’s about health and being connected to the community.
Thank you for taking time to listen to my concerns.