Overview
- A three-day Senate inquiry this week drew more than 4,000 written submissions and emotional public testimony that the draft bill would remove or prevent access for roughly 300,000 people and deliver about $38 billion in savings over four years.
- The government plans steep short-term cuts that include a proposed 50% reduction to social and community participation funding and a 10% cut to capacity-building supports, measures analysts say are central to the projected savings.
- The bill would give the NDIS minister broader powers, expand automated decision-making and move many operational details into rules yet to be written, raising concerns about transparency and reduced appeal rights for participants.
- State and territory disability ministers and advocacy groups say alternative state-run services are not ready, with some urging a delay to mid-2028 to avoid people losing support and to prevent costs shifting to families and hospital or child protection systems.
- Politically, the Coalition says it will not back the reforms without the government’s detailed modelling and the Senate committee is scheduled to report by June 16, leaving the bill’s passage uncertain.