The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was built on a promise: that people with disability in Australia would have the support they need to live with dignity, independence, and genuine inclusion in their communities. That promise is now under threat.
Under the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill, the Government plans to:
Cut social, civic and community participation budgets by 50%, effective from 1 October 2026
Reduce capacity building daily activity budgets by 10%
Cut 160,000 participants from the scheme over the next four years through tightened eligibility criteria
Reduce the average participant's plan by around $5,000 over the next two years
Shrink the claim window for supports from 2 years down to just 90 days, adding new red tape for participants and providers alike
The Government says these changes are about "sustainability." But sustainability should never come at the cost of the people the scheme exists to serve. Cutting community participation funding in half — before the promised $200 million Inclusive Communities Fund has even been built — leaves a dangerous gap. Reduced access to community life doesn't just harm wellbeing; it increases isolation and the risk of neglect and exploitation for people with disability.
Real reform should target waste, fraud, and inefficiency — not the essential supports that let people with disability work, socialise, build skills, and participate in everyday life.
We are calling on the Government to:
Halt the 50% cut to social and community participation funding until genuine, accessible alternatives are fully in place
Guarantee no participant is worse off as a result of these reforms
Consult meaningfully with people with disability and the disability sector before finalising eligibility changes, not after
Publish transparent modelling showing the real-world impact of these cuts on participants' health, safety, and independence
Protect the original intent of the NDIS — insurance-based, needs-driven support for people with permanent and significant disability
People with disability, their families, and carers deserve a scheme that works with them, not one that erodes support out from under them. Sign this petition to tell the Government: don't cut the NDIS on the backs of the people who rely on it most.