Submission 810
| Address | Phone | Web | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Fitzroy Street, Kerang 3579 | 5451 0200 | info@ndch.org.au | www.ndch.org.au |
Submission to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment
(Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026
Submission date: 28 May 2026
Submitted by: NDIS Support Coordination Team, on behalf of Northern District Community Health
Publication: We consent to this submission being published with our name.
Submission 810
Address: 24 Fitzroy Street, Kerang 3579 Phone: 5451 0200 E-Mail : info@ndch.org.au Web: www.ndch.org.au
We are writing to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee as NDIS
Support Coordinators on behalf of the Northern District Community Health (NDCH) organisation and the participants within our small, regional community.
As a team, we care deeply about the future of the NDIS because we see every day the vital role it plays in helping our own participants, and people cross the wider community, stay safe, maintain their independence, and remain connected to their communities.
We acknowledge the need for reforms to the current NDIS system to help ensure its long-term sustainability. However, we are concerned about the significant impact the proposed changes may have on participants, particularly vulnerable people living in ural, remote and outer regional areas, if the current Bill is passed without further consultation and appropriate safeguards.
We hold serious concerns regarding the lack of consideration given to the realities faced by regional communities, where limited access to NDIS providers, allied health professionals, transport services and mainstream supports already creates substantial barriers to equity and access. Participants in our region frequently experience long waitlists, workforce shortages, provider travel costs and reduced service choice compared to metropolitan areas.
The proposed reforms risk further disadvantaging regional participants by introducing increased administrative complexity, tighter funding limitations and reduced flexibility without addressing the existing inequities experienced outside metropolitan areas.
These concerns are reflected in the following proposed NDIS changes:
Submission 810
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| Address: | 24 Fitzroy Street, Kerang 3579 | | Phone: | 5451 0200 | | E-Mail : | info@ndch.org.au | | Web: | www.ndch.org.au |
The 50% cut to social and community participation funding from October 2026
We support participants who already experience loneliness, declining mental health and
eotional distress due to limited opportunities for social interaction. For some
participants, their support worker may be the only consistent social contact they have
each week. These supports are not optional extras; they are essential for maintaining
outine, emotional wellbeing, independence and connection to the community.
Reducing access to these supports may result in increased crisis presentations, worsening mental health and greater pressure on an already stretched and limited mainstream health and community system.
Tougher unscheduled reassessment rules and the loss of review rights
One of the key principles of the NDIS is participant choice and control. Restricting a participant’s ability to request reassessment or review decisions removes an important voice from the process and may leave participants stuck with plans that no longer meet their needs.
Disabilities and personal circumstances can change unexpectedly due to deteriorating health, mental health decline, changes in carers, housing instability, crisis situations or loss of informal supports. Participants need confidence that they can seek timely adjustments to their supports when required.
We believe these proposed changes risk removing an important safeguard that allows participants to seek changes to their plans when their circumstances change. This may have a serious impact on participant wellbeing, safety and stability, particularly for those with complex or fluctuating needs.
Submission 810
| Address: | 24 Fitzroy Street, Kerang 3579 | | Phone: | 5451 0200 | | E-Mail : | info@ndch.org.au | | Web: | www.ndch.org.au |
If participants lose the ability to request reassessment or challenge decisions, there is a real risk that people will go without essential supports for extended periods of time.
This may lead to increased hospital presentations, mental health decline, carer burnout, social isolation and crisis situations that could otherwise have been prevented through early intervention and responsive planning.
Automated decisions and algorithms with no individual appeal
We are also concerned about the increasing use of automated decision making and algorithms within the NDIS, particularly where decisions may be made without proper individual assessment or meaningful rights of appeal. Participants living with disability have highly individual needs, circumstances and goals that cannot be accurately understood through automated systems or standardised data alone. We fear that relying on algorithms to make funding or eligibility decisions risks removing the human understanding, flexibility and consideration that are essential when supporting vulnerable people.
In rural and regional communities, where participants already face barriers accessing services and advocacy supports, the loss of individual review rights could leave participants feeling powerless and unheard. Many participants rely on Support Coordinators, carers and families to help explain their circumstances and advocate for supports that are reasonable and necessary for their unique situation. Automated systems cannot fully capture the complexities of a person’s daily life, fluctuating needs,
Submission 810
| Address | Phone | Web | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Fitzroy Street, Kerang 3579 | 5451 0200 | info@ndch.org.au | www.ndch.org.au |
mental health, informal supports or environmental barriers. We strongly believe that
participants must retain the right to have decisions reviewed by a real person to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability within the NDIS.
We support the importance of ensuring the NDIS remains sustainable and continues to provide long-term support for future generations. However, we do not believe this can or should be achieved through the Bill in its current form, without further consultation, safeguards and consideration of the significant impacts these changes may have on participants, particularly those living in rural and regional communities.
We also ask that the Government undertake further genuine consultation with people with disability, families, carers, providers and frontline workers before implementing significant changes that may negatively impact participant choice, control, mental health and access to essential supports.
Sincerely, The NDIS Support Coordination team at NDCH