Category: Uncategorized

Media Release – Inclusion Australia challenges Senate Estimates claims

Assurances are not enough to protect people with an intellectual disability while families face losing NDIS essential support

Inclusion Australia has challenged assurances given by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing during Senate Estimates.

The peak body is calling on the government and the Agency to provide greater transparency about how it is identifying and protecting people with an intellectual disability and complex support needs under recent NDIS changes. Inclusion Australia warns that the safeguards outlined will still leave many people with an intellectual disability who need 24-hour support without essential NDIS support.

During proceedings, officials were specifically asked how people with an intellectual disability and complex support needs would be kept safe.

In response, the NDIA told the committee it was proactively identifying participants at risk and contacting people expected to qualify for additional high-support protections: specifically, a plan variation pathway for people with funded 24-hour support needs who also have plans of over $215,303.

Inclusion Australia CEO Maeve Kennedy said “The NDIA has told Parliament it is identifying people at risk and proactively contacting them. We want to know how people are being identified, how many people have been contacted, how the agency knows people are not being missed and what happens to those who do not already have an NDIS plan over the $215,303 threshold.”

She says these concerns have been raised on several occasions, and the assurances given by the NDIA do not address the real risk facing people with an intellectual disability, families and supporters.

“The NDIA can tell Senate Estimates that safeguards are in place, but that means very little if the people who need protection cannot access them.

“When Parliament asks how people with an intellectual disability and complex support needs are being kept safe, it is not enough to simply say processes are in place.

“Inclusion Australia is hearing from many people with an intellectual disability and families who are grappling with changes to their supports and trying to understand what those changes mean for their everyday lives. These families have been stretching NDIS funding as far as it will go for years, and they are deeply concerned about how further cuts with impact crucial supports.

“We have been sharing those concerns directly with the NDIA and the government. The experiences people are reporting should be an important source of information about how these changes are affecting participants in practice immediately.

“The NDIA has pointed to escalation pathways, complaints processes and review mechanisms as safeguards. But people with intellectual disability and families should not have to carry the burden of safeguarding themselves.

“The absence of data about complaints should not be confused with the absence of problems.

“The NDIA also suggested participants may be able to adjust how they use existing budgets. But for many people with an intellectual disability and complex support needs, there is no spare capacity to shuffle around.

“Supports are already being used to meet essential needs. Changes can require families to make difficult decisions about what support can continue and what may be lost. That is particularly concerning where housing, daily living supports and personal safety are involved.

“At the same time, families are trying to keep everyday life functioning. They should not also be expected to navigate complex complaints, review and escalation processes in order to safeguard themselves.

“A strong safeguarding approach does not rely on people already under pressure raising the alarm. It identifies people who need support before they reach crisis point and intervenes early.”

Ms Kennedy said Inclusion Australia supports proactive safeguarding but wants evidence that people with intellectual disability and complex support needs are receiving the protection they need.

“If the NDIA says it is proactively identifying and contacting people who need additional support, it should be transparent about how many people have been identified, how many have been contacted and how it knows people are not being missed.

“People with intellectual disability and their families deserve confidence that safeguards are working in practice, not just on paper.”

ENDS

Maeve Kennedy is available for comment

For media enquiries email: [email protected]

Joint statement from Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) about Targeted Compliance Framework

Disability Representative Organisations oppose the resumption of payment cancellations under the Targeted Compliance Framework

The undersigned Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) strongly oppose the resumption of penalties under the Targeted Compliance Framework (TCF), which comes into effect today.

The resumption of penalties under sections 42AG(1)(a) and 42AM(3) of the Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 will expose at least 396,000 people with disability who are compelled to participate in Workforce Australia, Inclusive Employment Australia or the Remote Australia Employment Service as a condition of receiving income support to additional payment suspensions and cancellations.

People with disability face significant barriers navigating employment services and meeting requirements that are often inaccessible. Departmental data and evidence from our communities over many years have consistently shown that First Nations people with disability; people with an intellectual disability; Autistic people; people with disability from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds; people with physical disability; and young people with disability are all severely impacted by payment penalties and harm in these systems. In addition, people with psychosocial disability comprise a significant proportion of employment services caseloads and are overwhelmingly impacted by harms caused by payment penalties. These experiences may be compounded by co-occurring disabilities and intersecting circumstances.

These harms are not limited to the groups identified and affect people across all disability communities, particularly where individual circumstances, accessibility requirements and reasonable adjustments are not adequately recognised.

Compelling people to meet these requirements as a condition of receiving income support, under threat of payment suspension or cancellation, puts lives at risk. When payments are withheld or cancelled, people are left without the income they need for food, housing, medication and other essentials, compounding poverty in a community already experiencing this at disproportionately high rates. These risks are deeply concerning given the history of unlawful decisions under the TCF, documented extensively by the Commonwealth Ombudsman across two investigations.

Employment services should uphold people’s rights, support choice and enable people with disability to be genuinely supported, rather than penalising people for not being able to navigate an inaccessible and unfair system.

Compulsion backed by the threat of losing essential income is fundamentally inconsistent with these principles.

We call on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to withdraw the resumption of penalties, and remove the TCF and all compulsory activities.

This statement is endorsed by:

You can read the statement and download a copy by clicking here.

Join the Inclusion Australia Board as our new Treasurer

Inclusion Australia is seeking an experienced not-for-profit Board Director with strong financial and accounting experience to join our Board as Treasurer.

About Inclusion Australia

Inclusion Australia is the national peak organisation for people with an intellectual disability. We have advocated for greater inclusion of people with intellectual disability in Australian life for more than 70 years.

About the role

The Treasurer is a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Finance and Risk Management Committee (FARM).

The role oversees Inclusion Australia’s financial and risk management and supports the Board to make informed decisions.

Working closely with the CEO and Board Chair, the Treasurer will:

  • Lead FARM meetings, encouraging open and constructive discussion and overseeing agendas, accurate minutes and an annual committee self-assessment.
  • Lead the committee’s review of budgets, forecasts, accounting policies and financial reporting and compliance processes.
  • Support the CEO on financial management matters, including the annual audit.
  • Oversee the organisation’s risk management framework and lead monitoring and review of the risk register.
  • Support the CEO to identify and manage current and emerging risks.
  • Provide regular financial and risk updates and advice to the Board on behalf of FARM.
  • Work with the CEO and Board Chair to make financial information accessible and ensure Directors can access any support they need to understand it.

The role will be for a term of 2 years.

Most work will be done remotely, with online meetings. There may be some in person meetings and interstate travel as part of the role.

Remuneration

This role is currently voluntary. The Board is considering a proposal for renumeration for independent directors.

About you

Previous experience as a Board Director of a not-for-profit organisation is essential.

You will also bring:

  • An understanding of Inclusion Australia and issues affecting people with intellectual disability.
  • A commitment to Inclusion Australia’s purpose and values.
  • Strong financial management and accounting expertise, including an understanding of accounting principles and the ability to analyse financial information.
  • Strategic thinking and sound judgement, with the ability to assess financial performance, policies and procedures and make recommendations to the Board.
  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financial information in plain language.
  • The willingness and ability to support other Directors to develop their financial understanding.
  • An understanding of statutory financial reporting and record-keeping requirements, and Inclusion Australia’s constitution and bylaws.
  • Strong organisational skills and experience maintaining accurate records.

To apply please email your resume and a short statement of no more than two pages, telling us about you and how you meet the role requirements to: [email protected]

Applications close 30 October, 2026.

Joint Media Release Inclusion Australia and the Down Syndrome Australia Consortium


New NDIS rules could leave people with complex support needs worse off and increase costs

Inclusion Australia and the Down Syndrome Australia Consortium are warning that people with intellectual disability, Down syndrome and complex support needs could be left worse off by the way new safeguards for people with 24-hour support needs are being applied. The warning comes on the eve of significant NDIS funding changes taking effect.

From 1 October 2026, funding for social, community and civic participation supports will be reduced by 50% when participant plans are created or reassessed. Eligible participants with 24-hour disability support needs will be able to seek a plan variation to maintain critical supports, which was an important change to the draft legislation before it was passed.

However, Inclusion Australia and the Down Syndrome Australia Consortium are concerned that the way 24-hour support needs are being defined means only funded disability supports are included. This means some people with genuine 24-hour support needs may not be able to access the new safeguards because their support needs are currently being met by family and informal supports rather than through funded Supported Independent Living (SIL) or similar arrangements.

Darryl Steff, CEO of Down Syndrome Australia, said decisions about 24-hour support needs have overlooked what support means in practice for many people with intellectual disability, Down syndrome, and similar chromosomal variations.

“Too often, people think about 24-hour support as someone providing active support every minute of the day. For many people, the real question is much simpler: would they be safe without support?”

” Who makes sure a person eats, takes medication or knows what to do in an emergency?  Who responds if someone knocks on the door? Who helps people make decisions? “

“Many families provide that support every day. The need does not disappear simply because it is being provided by family rather than paid workers.”

“A person’s support needs should be assessed based on what they need to live safely and well, not based on whether those supports are currently funded through a formal service.”

“Cutting social and community participation supports for these individuals without providing a variation pathway risks putting these informal supports at significant risk.”

Inclusion Australia CEO Maeve Kennedy said the changes risk creating unintended consequences that are a contradiction to the goals of the NDIS.

“The original intent of the NDIS was to support people with disability to have lives like others in our community, in the arrangement that works best for them. It should not create incentives for people to move into more formal support settings simply to maintain access to essential supports.”

“That outcome would be bad for participants, bad for families and could ultimately increase costs for the Scheme. The NDIS should be encouraging people to live less service-based lives and give them the option to live an ordinary life without risking their support budget.”

“The current definition risks overlooking people whose 24-hour support needs are largely met by family and informal supports.  We urge the Government and the NDIA to review these settings before they reduce choice, increase safeguarding risks and drive demand for more costly support arrangements”

Ms Kennedy said the organisations were particularly concerned about the impact on people’s participation, inclusion and safety.

“For many people in our communities, social and community participation supports are what make it possible to be part of the community, build relationships, contribute and live a good life.  These supports should not be treated as an optional extra”

“We have continually said that community participation is an important safeguard. It helps people stay connected, visible and supported by a wider network of people.”

“When people have fewer opportunities to participate in community life, there is a greater risk of isolation and fewer opportunities for concerns about wellbeing or safety to be noticed.”

Both organisations support efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the NDIS but say sustainability must not come at the expense of fairness, inclusion or good policy design.

Mr Steff said reforms should recognise the contribution families make and ensure people with equivalent support needs are treated equitably.

“People with the same level of support need should be treated consistently, regardless of whether that support is currently being provided by paid staff or by family.”

“We are calling on the Australian Government and the NDIA to closely monitor the impact of these changes and ensure people with genuine 24-hour support needs are not excluded from safeguards because of how their support is currently delivered. A robust risk assessment and escalation process will be essential to identify unintended consequences early, particularly where reductions in social, community and civic participation funding may affect a person’s safety, inclusion, and the sustainability of their informal supports, including the ability to remain living at home.”

ENDS

You can read the definition of 24/7 support needs on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website here

Media contact: [email protected]

Maeve and Darryl are both available for comment

About the NDIS changes and when they will happen.

This information was written by Inclusion Australia.

It was written on the 17 September 2026.

This information is about the changes to the NDIS law and when they will happen.

It 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.

Changes to the NDIS

The Government has just made big changes to the NDIS laws.

Some of these changes include:

  • Who can use the NDIS
  • How NDIS plans are made and changed
  • How some NDIS decisions are made
  • How much funding some types of supports can get.

Most of these changes will not happen straight away.

You can keep using your NDIS plan as usual for now.

You can read and download an Easy Read explainer of what is happening by clicking here (or using the link below).

About Income Support Payments

This information was written 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.

Inclusion Australia has been looking at information about people with an intellectual disability on income support payments.

Income support payments are money from Centrelink to help people who:

  • Are looking for work
  • Cannot work much because of their disability
  • Cannot work at all because of their disability.

There are more than 140,000 people with disability who get income support in Australia.

This includes:

  • About 125,000 on the Disability Support Pension or DSP
  • About 14,500 on Jobseeker Payment
  • About 4000 on Youth Allowance.

There are more people with an intellectual disability on Jobseeker Payment and Youth Allowance than before.

We think this may be because it is becoming harder for people with disability to get the DSP.

Many people with disability must do a Program of Support for 18 months before they can get the DSP.

Programs of Support can include things like:

  • Applying for jobs
  • Doing work experience or training
  • Going to employment services meetings

Employment services are programs run by the Government that try to help people to find and keep a job.

More than 3200 people with disability must do compulsory activities with employment services to keep getting their income support payment.

Compulsory activities can mean things like:

  • Applying for jobs
  • Doing community work
  • Going to employment services meetings.

People with an intellectual disability may find it hard to do compulsory activities.

For example if they:

  • Cannot understand what they need to do to keep getting their payment
  • Find it hard to look for work or go to appointments without support.

If someone does not do their compulsory activities they may get a penalty.

This means Centrelink may:

  • Stop the person’s payments for a short time
  • Pay them less money
  • Cancel their payments completely.

This can make it hard for the person to pay for everyday things like:

  • Rent
  • Food
  • Medications.

We have written a big report about this information.

The big report is not in Easy Read.

You can find the big report here.

You can read more on what we think about the DSP here.

You can read more on what we think about employment services here.

You can download a copy of this Easy Read document here (or by clicking below)

You can download a copy of the big report here. It is not in Easy Read.

The Australian Parliament has agreed the NDIS changes will become law – what happens next and what Inclusion Australia will do.

This information was written by Inclusion Australia on 19 August 2026.

Where we say 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.

This information talks about changes the Government wants to make to the NDIS.

This is done through a new draft law.

A draft law is called a Bill.  

What has happened with the NDIS Bill?

On 18 August the Bill was agreed to by the Senate.

The Senate is one part of the Australian Parliament.

The Senate agreed there should be some changes to the Bill.

We made Easy Read information about these changes.

You can read it on our website at: www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/the-senate-has-passed-the-ndis-bill-with-changes-what-it-means-and-what-inclusion-australia-thinks/

On 19 August the Bill went back to the House of Representatives to see if they agree with the changes.

The House of Representatives is another part of the Australian Parliament.

The House of Representatives has now agreed to pass the Bill with the changes from the Senate.

This means the Bill will become law and changes to the NDIS will start in the future.

When a Bill becomes law it is called an Act.

This means it is not a draft law anymore.

There are some more steps that need to happen before the changes will start.

Your NDIS plan or funding will not change because of the new law yet.

The changes will happen over time.

Some big changes will start from October 2026.

For example:

  • lowering the amount of money that is available for social and community participation support.

Changes to social and community participation will happen when your plan is reassessed or renewed after October 2026.

It will not change everyone’s plan at the same time.

Some of the changes to the Bill from the Senate will make extra protections for people with 24/7 disability support needs.

These changes mean that if money is cut from social and community participation this might be funded in another part of a person’s plan.

We will share more Easy Read information when we know more about what happens next for the changes to social and community participation and other parts of the Bill.

What will Inclusion Australia do next?

We will find out more about what the changes from the new law will mean for people with an intellectual disability and families.

We will keep speaking up for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

We will share more Easy Read information when we know more about what happens next.

You can get updates about the Easy Read information we make by signing up to our newsletter at: www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/including-everyone/

The newsletter is in Easy Read.

You can read all our Easy Read information on other changes that have happened so far on our website here: https://www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/news

If you need support

There is still a lot we do not know about what the changes to the NDIS law will mean in real life.

It can be hard when we do not know what things will be like in the future.

It is normal to feel sad. You might also feel angry or worried.

It is important to take care of yourself and talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling.

Lifeline is free counselling service for people who feel overwhelmed or are having unsafe thoughts.

Call: 13 11 14

Text message: 0477 13 11 14

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

Lifeline will keep your conversations private.

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

13 Yarn is free confidential phone counselling for First Nations people

13 Yarn is available 24 hours a day every day of the week

Call: 13 92 76.

Neve is a website made by and for:

  • Women
  • Girls
  • Non-binary people with disability.

It has Easy Read information about getting support here: https://www.neve.wwda.org.au/category-page/support

You can download a copy of this information here (or click below).

The Senate has passed the NDIS Bill with changes – what it means and what Inclusion Australia thinks

This information was written by Inclusion Australia on 18 August 2026.

Where we say 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.

This information is about some changes that were made to the NDIS Bill in the Senate today before they agreed that it should become law.

The Senate is one part of the Australian Parliament.

The Senate has been talking about the NDIS Bill since May 2026.

Today the Senate agreed to the NDIS Bill with some more changes.

Agreeing to the Bill is called passing the Bill.

The government said it made these changes after hearing from:

  • People with disability
  • Families
  • Advocates
  • Disability organisations
  • Other politicians.

What has changed?

There will be extra protections for some people with 24/7 disability support needs.

This means when someone has support 24 hours a day and every day of the week.

The change means that if money is cut from one part of a NDIS plan a participant can ask for support to be funded in another part of their plan.

This is to help make sure people do not have time with no support.

There are also changes about how the NDIA thinks about support from families and carers.

This is called parental responsibility.

The NDIA will need to think about:

  • Whether a family or carer is able to provide support
  • The age of family members and carers
  • How much support the person needs.

They also need to think about:

  • What type of support the person needs
  • Whether it is appropriate for a particular family member or carer to provide the support
  • Whether someone could be at risk of harm if NDIS support is not provided.

There are also new rules about what NDIS providers can give people to encourage them to use their services.

Providers will not be allowed to give some gifts to get someone to use their service.

These are called inducements.

They can include money or gift cards.

The changes will also make it easier to ask for a plan reassessment when someone’s situation changes.

For example if there are changes to:

  • Where someone lives
  • The support someone needs for work
  • The support a person gets from family.

There have been lots of other changes to the Bill.

We need to understand more about what these changes could mean for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

What Inclusion Australia thinks

We are very pleased to see some extra protection for people who need 24/7 support.

We are pleased that so many people with disability spoke up about what they are worried about.

It is good that the government has listened to people who have said the Bill could make people unsafe.

We need to make sure these changes work well in real life.

We still do not support the Bill being made law.

What will happen next?

The Bill is not law yet.

The Senate has passed the Bill with some changes.

The Bill now needs to go back to the House of Representatives to see if they agree with the changes.

The House of Representatives is another part of the Australian Parliament.

We think this will happen on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

This does not mean your NDIS plan or funding will change straight away.

What will Inclusion Australia do next?

We will keep finding out more about what the changes mean.

We will keep speaking up for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

We will share more Easy Read information when we know more about what happens next.

You can read Easy Read information on other changes that have happened so far on our website: https://www.inclusionaustralia.org.au/news

If you need support

We don’t know what will happen with the NDIS law yet.

It can be hard when we don’t know what things will be like in the future.

It is normal to feel sad. You might also feel angry or worried.

It is important to take care of yourself and talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling.

Lifeline is free counselling service for people who feel overwhelmed or are having unsafe thoughts.

Call: 13 11 14

Text message: 0477 13 11 14

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

Lifeline will keep your conversations private.

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

13 Yarn is free confidential phone counselling for First Nations people

13 Yarn is available 24 hours a day every day of the week

Call: 13 92 76.

Neve is a website made by and for:

  • Women
  • Girls
  • Non-binary people with disability.

It has Easy Read information about getting support here: https://www.neve.wwda.org.au/category-page/support

You can download a copy of this information here (or click below).

Final report from the Senate Committee on the NDIS Bill and what Inclusion Australia thinks

This information was written by Inclusion Australia on 14 August 2026.

Where we say 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.

The Senate Committee is a group of politicians who are looking at the changes the Government wants to make to the NDIS.

The Senate Committee has been looking at the NDIS Bill since May 2026.

This is called an inquiry.

They shared a new report today to tell us what they recommend happens about the changes the government wants to make to the NDIS Bill.

We have made Easy Read information about the report and what Inclusion Australia thinks.

You can download a copy here or click the link at the bottom of this page.

National Advocacy Collective’s statement on the NDIS Bill

This statement was written by the National Advocacy Collective.

Where it says ‘we’ it means the National Advocacy Collective.

This statement is in Easy Read.

Hard words are in bold.

We explain what they mean.

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

About the National Advocacy Collective

The National Advocacy Collective or NAC was started in 2022 to support the rights of parents with an intellectual disability.

NAC is made up of:

  • Parents with an intellectual disability and their supporters
  • Disability advocates

Advocates are people who speak up for people with disability

  • Disability researchers

Researchers are people who look into disability and try to find ways to make things better.

  • Other supporters and allies.

Changes to the NDIS

NAC is very worried about the changes the Government wants to make to the NDIS.

These changes are called the NDIS Bill.

The NDIS often focuses on supporting children with disability.

But parents with disability need support too.

We are worried that parents with an intellectual disability will be worse off if the NDIS changes happen.

People with an intellectual disability should have the same chance to be parents and care for their children.

This is part of the NDIS goal of helping people live an ordinary life.

But parents with an intellectual disability are more likely to be involved with child protection services.

Child protection services is a part of the Government that looks into child safety.

This goes against the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD).

The UNCRPD is an agreement between countries to protect the rights of people with disability.

Recently a case went to the Administrative Review Tribunal where a parent with disability wanted parenting supports through the NDIS.

The Administrative Review Tribunal or ART is a special court that looks into decisions made by Government services like the NDIS.

Parenting supports can be things like:

  • Step-by-step help with parenting
  • Learning parenting skills
  • Help talking to services like Centrelink or child protection services.

The ART agreed that:

  • Parenting is an important part of life for people with disability
  • Parents with disability should be supported
  • Parenting supports should be funded in the person’s NDIS plan.

We think the Government must listen to the ART when making decisions about parenting supports in a person’s NDIS plan.

What we think about the Bill

NAC does not think the Government should pass the NDIS Bill.

NAC is worried about the Bill because:

  • 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 a person should get NDIS support
  • The Bill must not stop people with disability getting the supports they need
  • The Government must look at what the changes mean for families and not leave families worse off.

NAC also thinks the Government must:

  • Look at how NDIS parenting supports are being used
  • Make sure NDIS decisions are fair for everyone
  • Train NDIS staff on the rights of parents with an intellectual disability.

What parents with an intellectual disability told us

One parent said:

“My support workers help me go to visits with my kids.

They help me understand better about being a good mum and looking at things through my child’s eyes.

If the NDIS cuts my funding it will be very hard because my children live far away from me.”

Sue said:

“If my NDIS funding gets cut I will not be able to leave my house or see my daughter unless she comes to my home or nearby.”

One parent said:

“I get support to help me go to Child Protection meetings and assessments.

I feel more secure having support at Child Protection meetings.

I will need more support to look after my new baby and for when I get my kids back.

If the NDIS cuts my funding it would be very sad because I will not get support anymore.”

Romeo said:

“If the NDIS cuts my funding I will lose support to see my children.”

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