Proposed changes to the NDIS will strip away vital lifelines and push already stretched families into crisis, Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) has today warned.
Appearing at a morning hearing on the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026, CYDA CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore argued the Bill prioritised budget savings over the safety and well-being of nearly half a million participants under 25.
“On paper, these reforms are designed to achieve billions of dollars of savings. In reality, they will push more families into crisis, result in cost shifting to already over-subscribed or even non-existent services, and lead to poorer outcomes for people with disability,” she told the Committee.
“[This] represents a move away from the fundamental principles on which the NDIS was based: that people with disability are entitled to individualised supports delivered by those that they choose.”
Every two in three new NDIS participants are aged under 15, meaning the changes being proposed will have a disproportionate impact on younger generations.
In its written submission to the Bill inquiry, CYDA pointed to four key areas of concern it had identified. These include:
- The requirement for a person to undertake “all appropriate treatment” without consideration of their location or financial means
- The reliance on parental responsibility and already stretched informal supports as alternatives to properly funded supports
- The reduction in funding for social and community participation
- The centralisation of power with the Disability Minister of the day
Under these provisions, low-income families or those living in regional or rural Australia would face extra barriers to accessing support.
Parents would also be expected to take on additional unpaid caring responsibilities, even when they relate to complex behavioural or communication needs for which they previously received support.
Ms Kakoschke-Moore urged the Federal Government to fully address these issues before proceeding with the legislation.
“[We can improve the sustainability of the NDIS] not by ripping funds for essential supports away… but by better fraud controls and a guarantee that non-NDIS funded supports will be available to those who need it, regardless of where they live or what they earn,” she said.
“The community stands ready to work constructively with the Parliament to ensure this Bill genuinely does secure the NDIS for future generations.”
CYDA’s submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Bill was one of roughly 4500 received in the span of only a few weeks.
The government’s own NDIS Reform Advisory Committee recently warned the legislative overhaul would cause “material harm” to people with disability in Australia.
The following individuals are available for interviews:
- CYDA CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore
- Case studies, including young people with disability and families or caregivers
For more information or further comment, please contact CYDA:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 03 9417 1025