The Australian Senate has approved reforms to the disability support program
The Australian Senate approved sweeping changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) after the Labor Party government reached an agreement with the opposition Coalition. According to the government, the reform is intended to make the program more financially sustainable and strengthen efforts to combat fraud, ABC News Australia reports.
The Coalition supported the bill alongside Labor. The changes are aimed at reducing the program’s structural costs, which amount to more than 50 billion Australian dollars per year. The reform is expected to yield savings of 37.8 billion Australian dollars over the next four years.
Sixty-three amendments were made to the bill following consultations with representatives of the disability community. NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister stated that the law provides for an escalation procedure for high-risk participants. People who require continuous, round-the-clock care will be able to submit a request to modify their support plan so that their needs are addressed.
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The legislation also strengthens measures against unscrupulous service providers. It introduces new criminal and civil penalties for offering or providing kickbacks, expands protections for whistleblowers, and broadens the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) authority to respond more quickly to dangerous or unethical practices.
Health Minister Mark Butler stated that the new system for determining eligibility for the program will be based on a standardized assessment of functional abilities, rather than solely on a medical diagnosis. According to him, the new criteria are to be published well in advance of their implementation on January 1, 2028. The government aims to reduce the number of NDIS participants from approximately 760,000 to 600,000 by 2030, although the new eligibility system is not explicitly outlined in the passed bill.
The Australian Greens, independent lawmakers, and representatives of the disability community have criticized the reform. They stated that the changes are being adopted too quickly and that they could leave hundreds of thousands of people without support. The government has also acknowledged the need for further work on basic support systems for children over the age of eight and adults who may be excluded from the NDIS as a result of the changes.
