Disability Representative Organisations Joint Statement: No Cuts Before Alternative Supports Available
Friday 3 July
Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) continue to engage with developments relating to the NDIS Amendment Bill, including the Senate Inquiry Interim Report, the reopening of submissions, and amendments recently passed through Parliament.
We welcome the Committee’s recognition that proposed changes to the NDIS should not proceed before governments deliver their agreed investment in foundational supports outside the Scheme. The Committee’s recommendation acknowledges that supports outside the NDIS are an essential part of the broader disability support system and must be developed prior to any changes taking effect.
This aligns with our stated position that supports outside the NDIS are a critical part of the broader disability ecosystem and should be available before any reforms proceed that may reduce or restrict access to the NDIS. Importantly, those supports must be co-designed with people with disability, properly tested, fully funded, and operational before reforms that may reduce or restrict NDIS access take effect.
At the same time, this recognition does not resolve the significant concerns that remain about the Bill. We remain deeply concerned by the Committee’s recommendation that the
Bill be passed without substantive changes. Recommendations relating to a future roadmap and additional detail in the Explanatory Memorandum do not address the core risks identified by people with disability and our organisations. An Explanatory Memorandum is not legislation, and a roadmap is not an enforceable safeguard.
Reforms must consider and uphold Australia’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and should be implemented in a manner that protects the rights, dignity, inclusion and full participation of people with disability. We support calls on the government to address the human rights concerns over the NDIS changes, including those raised by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (PJCHR).
As currently drafted, the Bill reduces supports, restricts access to the Scheme, increases isolation, and shifts costs and caring responsibilities onto people with disability, families and other service systems. Some changes may also occur without sufficient regard to individual circumstances, creating risks to safety, wellbeing and inclusion.
While we acknowledge the amendments passed this week respond to some concerns raised by the disability community, they provide limited safeguards. Similarly, the extended inquiry timeline remains inadequate given the scale and impact of the proposed reforms. We hope the Senate Inquiry will use this time to genuinely consider the evidence presented by the disability community.
Since the release of the NDIS Review, Disability Representative Organisations have consistently argued that continuity of support must be the first priority in designing and sequencing changes. No person should lose access to disability supports until appropriate, accessible and effective alternatives are available.
Our organisations will continue to seek more constructive engagement and advocate for reforms that uphold the rights, inclusion and wellbeing of people with disability.
**ENDS**
Endorsed by:
- Australian Autism Alliance
- Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
- Children and Young People with Disability Australia
- Disability Advocacy Network Australia
- Down Syndrome Australia Consortium
- First Peoples Disability Network Australia
- Inclusion Australia
- National Ethnic Disability Alliance
- National Mental Health Consumer Alliance
- People with Disability Australia
- Physical Disability Australia
- Women With Disabilities Australia
ENDS | Contact us
I am the extremely b CB oncerned mother of a 29 years old son who has a FCA of 55 and profoundly autistic. He gains most of his community connections through sporting organisations which either cater to people with id snd ASD or are set up specifically and designed to cater to people with id snd ASD combined. The co morbity brings very different challenges from a single diagnosis. I am 69 years old and the full time carer of this son who lives a life which is full of connectivedness due to the incredible supports he receives. Mostly currently overall managed by me, the supports are carefully fought and nurtured over in most cases many years. Without these supports his life encounters will decrease and life reduced to a very low level. Then the extreme behaviours will return and his ASD will be blamed for the behaviours rather than the correct analysis being the lack of appropriate supports bringing on the extreme behaviours.
This will be firmly on the head of government trying to reduce budget blowout at the cost of people with a disability being supported, rather than doing regular audits to stamp out the fraud and huge profits being gained from this ndis gravy train.
I am extremely concerned that supports will be cut and his life along with many others , reduced to a non meaningful existence along with depression, meltdowns, phydical attacks on others and self harm. This is all currently being avoided by good management.
Do your job in the NDIS and parliament as you were elected otherwise I fear the future of a hopeless governed and lacking leadership country of Australia.
Hi Anne,
Thank you for sharing your story.
If you have not already shared your story directly to the Inquiry, submissions close at 5pm tonight.
We have resources to assist people with making a submission at: https://pwd.org.au/how-to-make-a-parliamentary-submission/.
PWDA.