National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 684
As a disabled person, and as a disability advocate and activist, I am deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
I am someone who relies on the Disability Support Pension and, due to financial barriers, I have only been able to attempt access to the NDIS this year. Even beginning the application process has already cost me thousands of dollars in medical reports and assessments in order to give myself the best possible chance of being accepted onto the scheme. Access to the NDIS is already incredibly difficult for many disabled Australians, particularly those disabled due to chronic illness and those living in poverty.
One of my greatest concerns is the proposed shift toward denying access to people who have not “exhausted” all possible treatment options.
This approach is incredibly harmful and fails to reflect the reality of disability
and chronic illness. There are many legitimate reasons why certaintreatments may not have been pursued. Treatments may be financially
inaccessible, excessively invasive, carry significant risks, have minimalevidence of improving functional capacity, or simply offer outcomes where the risks outweigh the potential benefits for the individual.
The Disability Support Pension previously operated under a similarframework requiring conditions to be “fully treated.” This caused significant
harm to disabled people who were effectively pressured into pursuingtreatments regardless of whether those treatments were reasonable, safe, or financially attainable. In 2023, this language was changed to “reasonably treated” to better recognise patient autonomy and the realities of living with disability and chronic illness.
Reintroducing an “exhaust all treatment options” mentality through the NDIS would be a major step backwards.
Policies like this do not improve outcomes for disabled people. They delay support, increase suffering, and force people to justify why they have not subjected themselves to treatments that may worsen their health, financial situation, or quality of life. Disabled people deserve autonomy, dignity, and the right to make informed decisions about their own bodies and healthcare.
These proposed reforms move away from independence and human rights, and back toward a system that treats disabled people as though they are less capable of determining what is best for themselves.
I am also deeply concerned by the narrative being used around the NDIS as a financial burden rather than recognising it as one of the most economically beneficial social programs Australia has ever implemented.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission 684
The NDIS has an extraordinary return on investment. For every dollar spent supporting participants, at least $2.25 is returned to the economy through workforce participation, employment, reduced carer burden, and increased community engagement. This is not wasted money. It is an investment in
Australians being able to live with dignity, participate in society, andcontribute where they can.
Cuts to the NDIS will have devastating real-world consequences. Carers will be forced to leave the workforce. Participants who are currently able to work because of their supports may lose that ability. Disabled people will lose access to their communities and become isolated once again. Quality of life will decline significantly for many people who already face immense barriers every single day.
I urge the government to reconsider these proposed reforms. If implemented in their current form, they risk causing widespread and long-lasting harm to disabled Australians, their families, carers, and the broader community.
The NDIS should be strengthened, not weakened. Disabled Australians deserve support systems grounded in dignity, autonomy, accessibility, and human rights.
Sincerely,
Laura Buchanan
A disabled Australian tired of being forced to jump through flaming hoops just to access support