Author: Emma Bloom

What IA thinks about the NDIS Bill updates and next steps from the Australian Government

This information was written on 21 July 2026 by Inclusion Australia.

Where it says ‘we’ it means Inclusion Australia.

This information is written in Easy Read.

Hard words are in bold. We explain what they mean.

It is a good idea to read this information with support.

About the NDIS Bill

The NDIS Bill is changes the Government wants to make to how the NDIS works.

You can find Easy Read information we have made about the NDIS Bill at:

https://www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/what-we-think-about-the-ndis-bill-easy-read/

On 1 July 2026 the Government changed some parts of the NDIS Bill to make it better for people with disability.

These changes are called amendments.

We made Easy Read information about the amendments here:

www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/update-on-the-changes-to-the-ndis-bill/

The Government has now updated the NDIS Bill explanatory memorandum.

The explanatory memorandum explains how the NDIS changes would work in real life.

This information explains what the explanatory memorandum says and what we think about it.

What the explanatory memorandum says

The NDIS Bill said that the Disability Minister would be able to make changes to how much money is available for some kinds of NDIS supports.

This is called a support determination.

The explanatory memorandum explains that the Disability Minister can now only make support determinations for 2 types of support:

  • Social and community participation

These are supports to help you do things like get groceries and take part in activities in the community

  • Improved daily living skills

This means supports like speech therapy and OT sessions.

The explanatory memorandum also says the Disability Minister cannot make changes to how much money is available for:

  • Employment supports

For example support to do your job and help to get to and from work

  • Health supports that are related to your disability.

We think some of the changes explained in the explanatory memorandum are good.

For example the NDIA can make changes to a person’s NDIS plan if the support determination:

  • Makes the person unsafe
  • Stops the person from getting 24/7 supports

This is when someone has support 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

We are happy the Government says it does not want support determinations to affect 24/7 supports.  

This will help make sure people are not harmed by the changes.

But we are still worried about the Bill because:

  • The Disability Minister can still decide how much money is available for many types of NDIS supports that are important for health and safety

The support determinations may still hurt or leave some people with disability worse off.

The explanatory memorandum talks about changing supports after someone is harmed instead of stopping problems before they happen.

What happens next? 

The Government will hold more public hearings about the Bill soon.

A public hearing is when people and organisations talk to the Government about their worries face-to-face.

The next public hearings will be held in Canberra and Perth.

You can find information about the public hearings at:

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/NDISFutureGenBill/Public_Hearings

Politicians will meet again in August to decide if more changes need to be made to the Bill.

Inclusion Australia will keep working hard to speak up for people with an intellectual disability and their families to make sure the Bill does not hurt or leave anyone worse off.

What you can do

You can tell your local Member of Parliament if you are worried about the changes.

A Member of Parliament is a politician who speaks up for people who live in your area.

We call them MP for short.

We have made Easy Read information on how to contact your MP.

You can find it at

https://www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/how-to-contact-your-mp-about-ndis-changes/

You may want to talk to someone about how the changes make you feel.

If this happens you can talk to:

  • Someone you trust like a friend or family member or support person
  • One of the support organisations below.

Lifeline is a free counselling service for anyone who needs urgent support.

Lifeline is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Phone: 13 11 14

Text message: 0477 13 11 14

Online chat: https://www.lifeline.org.au/

The Ask Izzy Disability Advocacy Finder is a website that can help you find a disability advocate in your area.

Disability advocates help speak up for the rights of people with disability.

You can use this site to find an advocate:

https://askizzy.org.au/disability-advocacy-finder

You can download this Easy Read information here (or click below).

How to contact your MP about NDIS changes

This information was written by Inclusion Australia.

Where it says ‘we’ it means Inclusion Australia.

This information tells you how to contact your MP about changes to the NDIS.

MP stands for Member of Parliament.

Hard words are in bold.  

We explain what they mean. 

It is a good idea to read this information with support.

Contacting your MP about NDIS changes 

The Government wants to make some big changes to the way the NDIS works.

These changes are called the NDIS Bill.

Many people with disability are worried about how these changes may affect them.

One way to share what you think about these changes is contacting your MP.

Sharing your story is important and will help decision makers see how changes to the NDIS will affect people’s lives.

Knowing who to contact 

It is important to know the right person to contact to share your story.

There are 2 types of MP you can contact to talk about NDIS changes:

  • A federal MP is a politician who speaks up to the Government about issues affecting people in your local area

A Senator is a politician who speaks up for your whole state or territory in Government.

To find out who your federal MP is you will need to know what electorate you live in. This means the area your MP speaks up for.

You can find the name of your electorate by typing in your suburb or postcode on the Australian Electoral Commission website:

https://electorate.aec.gov.au

Once you know the name of your electorate you can search the Australian Parliament website to find your federal MP’s name and contact details:

https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members

You can also find the name and contact details of your state or territory senatorson this website.

How to share your story with your MP 

The best way to contact your MP is by email.

It is a good idea to keep your email short and clear.

You should include your full name and home address so your MP can check that you live in their electorate.

You should spend some time thinking about what you want to say before contacting your MP.

You might want to:

  • Write down your ideas
  • Ask someone you trust to help you plan what you want to say.

Your email should cover 4 things:

Number 1 is who you are.

For example:

“My name is Robert. I have an intellectual disability and am on the NDIS.”

or

“My name is Sarah. My daughter Jane has an intellectual disability and gets NDIS supports.”

Number 2 is how the NDIS helps you or the person you care for.

For example:

“I get support from the NDIS to do things like getting to and from work, and support to get my groceries and go out in the community.”

or

“The NDIS helps my brother with speech therapy once a week and a support worker for 4 hours a week to help him learn daily living skills.”

Number 3 is what you think about the NDIS changes.

For example:

“I am worried that the changes to the NDIS will mean I will not be able to get help with showering and getting dressed and leaving my house.”

or

“If the NDIS changes, I am worried that my son will lose his support workers that support him in the community.”

Number 4 is what you would like your MP to do about it.

You might want to ask your MP to:

  • Speak up to protect the NDIS supports people need
  • Vote against changes that give people less NDIS support
  • Share your story with the Disability Minister or other politicians
  • Meet with you so you can share more of your story.

Meeting with your MP

Meeting with your MP is a good way to share your story and your worries about the NDIS changes.

MPs are very busy so they may not have time to meet with you right away.

If you are having a face-to-face meeting you should check that their office is accessible for you.

For example if you use a wheelchair.

Or they may ask you to do an online meeting like Zoom.

Some MPs may ask you to meet with one of their staffers.

Staffers are people who help MPs do their work.

Most MP meetings are only 20 or 30 minutes long so it is important to be on time.

You can take a support person with you to the meeting if you like.

You might want to write down some notes to take into the meeting to help you remember what you want to say.

In the meeting you can ask the MP to:

  • Speak slower
  • Say something again
  • Explain what something means if you do not understand.

It is okay if you start to feel upset while sharing your story.

You can ask the MP to give you a minute to breathe and feel more comfortable to keep sharing your story.

You should be polite and not talk over the MP when they are speaking.

Do not yell or get angry even if you do not agree with them.

At the end of the meeting you should thank the MP for their time.

You can ask the MP if it is okay to take a photo with them at the end of the meeting if you like.

You may want to share this photo with friends or family or online.

This will help to show others that is okay to speak up and tell their stories.

After the meeting it is a good idea to send a short email to thank the MP for meeting with you.

You can send a follow-up email or phone call to the MP a few weeks later if you asked them to do something and you have not heard back.

Some of the images on page on this page are from the Parliament of Australia website on a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence.

This means we can use these images as long as we:

  • Do not make any money from selling this document
  • Say thank you to the Parliament of Australia for letting us use them.

You can download this Easy Read information here (or click below).

Disability Representative Organisations respond to NDIS Bill Senate Inquiry Report

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.

About our organisations

This statement was developed by DROs with coordination support from Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) in their role as the National Coordination. DROs are funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to represent people with disability.

The following organisations have contributed to and/or expressed their support for this joint position statement.

  • 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

Helping the NDIA test the new way of planning

Inclusion Australia has been giving advice to the National Disability Insurance Agency on the new way of planning to make sure it works well for all people with an intellectual disability and their families.

As part of this, we are sharing some information about how people can be involved in testing the new way of planning.

This does not mean Inclusion Australia agrees with all the changes to the new way of planning. It means we think it’s important that people with an intellectual disability can be included in the testing if they choose.

Watch the video below to learn more and how you can have your say.

If you do want to take part, there are two ways you can tell the NDIA:

  1. You can complete the online form. This form is not in Easy Read and we recommend having support to help you fill in the form. You can find the link for the form here.
  2. You can also call the NDIA to complete the form over the phone. You can call them on 1300 790 467.

The NDIA have made an Easy Read version of the Participant Information Sheet. You can find a link to the Easy Read Participant Information Sheet here and the bigger version here (or click below). 

Inclusion Australia is also giving feedback to the NDIA about what people think about testing the new way of planning. We have a short Easy Read survey you can complete.

Complete the Easy Read survey here.

Inclusion Australia’s Easy Read survey is now closed.

We will keep advocating to make sure that any changes work well for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

Questions we have asked the NDIA on behalf of the community.

Can a NDIS participant take part in the testing without sharing their full name or NDIS number?

The NDIS says that at the moment, you cannot take part anonymously. The NDIA needs to know who is taking part so it can:

  • review your information
  • organise any payments for participating
  • make sure you have given informed consent for both participation in the testing and the use of their data.

Will my support person be paid for helping me take part?

Yes, the NDIA will pay for a formal support worker if one is needed to help you take part in the testing.

The NDIA does not pay family members or other informal supporters for their time helping someone participate.

What we think about the NDIS Bill Easy Read

This information was made by Inclusion Australia.

Where we say ‘we’ it means Inclusion Australia.

This information says what we think about changes the Government wants to make to the law that decides how the NDIS works.

These changes are called the NDIS Bill.

Some of the changes in the Bill are:

  • Letting Disability Minister decide how much money is available for each type of NDIS support
  • Changing what functional capacity means for people trying to get onto the NDIS

Functional capacity means how well a person can do everyday things

  • Making sure disability service providers who provide high level support are NDIS registered.

Politicians are looking at the NDIS Bill closely to decide if the changes are a good idea.

Nothing about the NDIS has changed yet.

Any changes to the NDIS will take time. 

We will keep making Easy Read information about the changes when we know more.

What we are doing next

Inclusion Australia wrote a big submission to tell the Government what we think about the NDIS Bill and what we think should happen next.

We want to make sure that any changes do not make things worse for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

We think that:

  • People with disability and their families need more time to have their say about the NDIS Bill
  • The Disability Minister should not decide how much money is available for each type of NDIS support
  • The NDIS must look at the whole person and not just one disability when deciding if they should get NDIS support
  • The Bill must not take away parts of the law that helps people with disability get the supports they need.
  • NDIS decisions must look at the pressures on families and not leave families worse off
  • The NDIA must not count restrictive practices as treatment when deciding if a person’s disability is permanent.

You can read our big submission here (or click below).

You can download Easy Read information about what we think here (or click below).

How to make a submission about the NDIS Bill Easy Read

This document was made by Inclusion Australia. Where we say ‘we’ it means Inclusion Australia.

We made this information to help people understand how to make a submission to the Government on the changes to the NDIS.

Making a submission helps you to:

  • Have your voice heard
  • Tell the Government how changes to the NDIS might affect you.

What to say in your submission

In your submission you might want to talk about:

  • Why your NDIS supports are important to you
  • What might happen if you cannot get NDIS supports anymore

For example your supports at work or in the community

You can share your own story if you want.

Sharing your story will help the Government understand how the NDIS helps people in real life.

Your submission does not have to be big or long.

You can say as much or as little as you like.

Inclusion Australia has made an Easy Read document on what we think about the NDIS Bill.

You can read this document on our website: How to make a submission about the NDIS Bill

How to make a submission

You can make a submission by:

  • Writing a letter or email
  • Making a video
  • Making a voice recording.

It is a good idea to get support from someone you trust when making your submission.

There are 2 ways to send your submission to the Government:

You can upload your submission to the Australian Parliament website

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/NDISFutureGenBill

You will need to make a My Parliament account before you can upload your submission.

It is a good idea to get support to do this.

Or you can email your submission to [email protected]

If you need help to upload your submission you can email [email protected] or call (02) 6277 3515.

You can send your submission until Friday 10 July 2026.

The Senate Committee extended the time on Monday 29 June.

You can download this Easy Read information here (or click below).

People with an intellectual disability talk about their experiences at work in new videos

Inclusion Australia made some videos with people with an intellectual disability who are working in Australian Disability Enterprises or ADEs.

ADEs are places where people with an intellectual disability get more support to work. 

People who work in ADEs usually get very low pay.

We think it is important that the Government hears from people with an intellectual disability who are working in ADEs.

Inclusion Australia Policy Officers interviewed 6 people with an intellectual disability for the videos.

They asked them

  • What they like about their job
  • What is hard about their job
  • What makes it hard to get a job in open employment.

We paid people to take part in the videos.

Some of the things people liked about their job were

  • Getting good support
  • Being in an inclusive workplace.

Some of the things people found hard about their job were

  • Getting very low wages
  • Not always having choices about the work they do.

Some of the things people found hard about getting a job in open employment were

  • Unfair treatment
  • Not being able to get equal opportunities
  • Not getting the right support.

You can watch the videos by clicking below.

You can download this Easy Read information here (or click below).

Getting NDIS reform right: inclusion, safeguards and support

The Disability Royal Commission showed us that people with intellectual disability are among the most likely to experience violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and for many the NDIS is key to enabling people to live inclusive lives free those things.

There must be a consistent commitment to transparency from the government, including the public release of draft legislation and clear opportunities for the disability community to understand and respond to proposed changes before decisions are finalised. Any changes must not occur in isolation – reform of the NDIS must progress alongside the Disability Royal Commission recommendations and NDIS Review recommendations.

The government must commit to continuity of supports and ensure that sustainable alternatives to NDIS supports are built first.

An overall plan for foundational supports must be created, to work alongside Australia’s Disability Strategy and set out the plan for a joined-up approach to the disability service ecosystem. This includes general foundational supports, as first recognised and suggested by the NDIS Review, which are essential for building the capacity of people with an intellectual disability to live a good life. 

This plan should also consider other separate programs like the ILC, the newly announced Inclusive Communities Fund, and the current Disability Peer Support and Connections (DPSC) Program. Together, all governments – at the federal, state and territory level – must commit to a unified approach, with clear pathways between programs.

We welcome the Minister’s commitment to genuine community inclusion for people with disability. For our community of people with an intellectual disability, social and community participation funding is an important part of this. We agree improvements are needed in this space, and we want to see people with an intellectual disability included and able to access public spaces and local communities, not further removed from them. We look forward to working closely with the government to ensure changes are measured and well-targeted.

We welcome recognition from Minister Butler that when we hear about fraud in the NDIS, we’re not talking about people with disability; we are not talking about families. Public discussion about reform must clearly distinguish between protecting the integrity of the system and unfairly placing blame on participants or those who support them.

Significant reform cannot be delivered without meaningful consultation, which must include people with an intellectual disability and their families. Changes of this scale must be developed in genuine partnership with people with disability from all communities, with their leadership at the centre of decision-making.

We support moves toward mandatory registration to ensure safeguards where people with disability may be at greater risk, particularly in closed settings and for those with higher risk supports. We have worked closely with the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce and continue to work closely with the NDIS Quality & Safeguard Commission on these reforms.

There must be a clear plan for continuity of support while mandatory registration is introduced, especially for those with complex support needs.

Inclusion Australia stand ready to engage constructively in reforms that are transparent, accountable and are grounded in genuine consultation. Reform legitimacy depends on respecting people with disability as key partners that bring valuable lived expertise and experience to achieve transparent, fair, and rights‑consistent policy design.

Changes to the NDIS – Easy Read information

This information was made by Inclusion Australia.

Where we say ‘we’ it means Inclusion Australia.

It is about changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme or NDIS.

We made this information to

  • Help people understand the changes
  • Share information in an accessible way.

This does not mean we agree with all the changes.

It means we believe people should have good and clear information.

We will keep sharing updates as new information comes out.

Hard words are in bold. 

We explain what they mean. 

It is a good idea to read this document with support.

If you have any questions about this document please email 

[email protected]

What we agree with

Mark Butler is the Australian Government Minister for the NDIS.  

On Wednesday 22 April he gave a big speech.  

In the speech he talked about changes to the NDIS. 

We agree with some parts of what needs to change.  

  • People with disability and their families must not be blamed for fraud 

Fraud means lying to get something you are not allowed to have like money or gifts. 

  • Keep choice and access to trusted supports 
  • Not leave anyone worse off.

We agree that people with disability and families must be included in decisions about changes to the NDIS. 

We will work hard to make sure people with an intellectual disability and families get a say in the changes.

What will happen next

Minister Butler talked about lots of changes in his speech.  

It will take some time for the community to understand what the changes mean for people with disability and families.

The government has made Easy Read information about the main changes.

You can read it by going to

www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/securing-the-ndis-for-future-generations?language=en

We understand the government will make changes to the law that controls how the NDIS works.  

The new law will be introduced to the Australian Parliament in the second week of May 2026.

The new law is called the Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill.  

We are asking the government to share the changes to the law with the disability community as soon as possible. 

What we want to see now

The government must be open and clear about how the changes will happen

We are asking the government to  

  • Share draft laws  
  • Give people with disability and families time to respond  
  • Listen to what the disability community says about the changes and act on what they say.

Changes to the NDIS must work with the recommendations from the 

  • Disability Royal Commission  
  • NDIS Review

People must keep the supports they need.

New supports must be ready before anyone is moved off the NDIS.

Inclusion Australia will keep working with people with an intellectual disability and families to make sure the changes do not leave anyone worse off. 

You can download this Easy Read information here (or click below).

You can read more in a big version here.

Important update from Inclusion Australia Chair: New CEO

Inclusion Australia has some big news to share.

We have a new CEO!

Our CEO Catherine McAlpine has decided to step down after 6.5 years in her role.

Maeve Kennedy will become our new CEO on 20th April.

Maeve has been with Inclusion Australia for 4 years and has been our Deputy CEO for 2 years.

Catherine will stay working with Inclusion Australia as our Executive Director of Sector and Development.

This means Catherine will still help us to

  • have good relationships with other organisations and government
  • support our project work.

We think this will help us continue to make big and important changes for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

This is important because there are a lot of changes happening in Australia right now that affect people with an intellectual disability.

We want to say a big thank you to Catherine for all her hard work over the years to help build Inclusion Australia into the strong organisation it is today.

We are all excited and looking forward to seeing Inclusion Australia continue to grow as the national voice for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

You can watch a video below of outgoing CEO Catherine and new CEO Maeve talking about the great changes at Inclusion Australia.

Read the big version of this announcement (or download below).