Disability Representative Organisations Call for Genuine Senate Scrutiny as Concerns Grow Over Rushed NDIS Reforms
“People with disability and families have already lived through years of constant reform, uncertainty and disruption. Legislation of this scale should not be rushed through on timelines that make meaningful scrutiny and genuine community consultation almost impossible.”
Today, Australia’s Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) jointly called for genuine Senate scrutiny of the NDIS Reform Bill introduced by the Australian Government.
⚠️ The proposed inquiry timeframe of approximately one month is extraordinarily short for legislation of this scale and complexity.
⚠️ These reforms will affect the lives, rights, supports and future security of hundreds of thousands of people with disability, families and carers across Australia.
⚠️ Significant elements of the reforms remain subject to future rules, operational decisions and implementation arrangements that have not yet been fully scrutinised.
People with disability deserve confidence that reforms affecting their lives have been:
✔️ carefully designed
✔️ properly scrutinised
✔️ safely implemented
✔️ supported by systems that are genuinely ready
Our concerns remain unchanged:
🔹 safeguarding arrangements are not yet clearly demonstrated
🔹 mainstream systems are not yet proven ready
🔹 effective service connections and transition protections remain unclear
🔹 rushed reform risks people falling through the gaps
Good reform is not reform that moves fastest. Good reform is reform that is safe, evidence-based, and implemented when systems are genuinely ready.
📄 Read the full joint statement here: “People with disability and families have already lived through years of constant reform, uncertainty and disruption. Legislation of this scale should not be rushed through on timelines that make meaningful scrutiny and genuine community consultation almost impossible.”
Today, Australia’s Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) jointly called for genuine Senate scrutiny of the NDIS Reform Bill introduced by the Australian Government.
⚠️ The proposed inquiry timeframe of approximately one month is extraordinarily short for legislation of this scale and complexity.
⚠️ These reforms will affect the lives, rights, supports and future security of hundreds of thousands of people with disability, families and carers across Australia.
⚠️ Significant elements of the reforms remain subject to future rules, operational decisions and implementation arrangements that have not yet been fully scrutinised.
People with disability deserve confidence that reforms affecting their lives have been:
✔️ carefully designed
✔️ properly scrutinised
✔️ safely implemented
✔️ supported by systems that are genuinely ready
Our concerns remain unchanged:
🔹 safeguarding arrangements are not yet clearly demonstrated
🔹 mainstream systems are not yet proven ready
🔹 effective service connections and transition protections remain unclear
🔹 rushed reform risks people falling through the gaps
Good reform is not reform that moves fastest. Good reform is reform that is safe, evidence-based, and implemented when systems are genuinely ready.
📝 In the meantime, we will be working hard to ensure we are submission-ready for the Inquiry announced today, with submissions currently closing on 29 May 2026.
With only a two-week timeframe, we encourage people with disability, families, carers and supporters to reach out if there is anything you would like considered as part of our submission, including stories, experiences, testimonies or photos.
Please contact us via private message at chair@australianautismalliance.org.au so we can help protect your privacy and discuss how your information may be used.