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.

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.

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.

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 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.