People relying on the National Disability Insurance Scheme are being urged to prepare for change, after Health Minister Mark Butler announced a sweeping overhaul of the system on Wednesday.
The reforms aim to slow the scheme’s rapid growth, with the federal government signalling tighter eligibility rules, more frequent reassessments and a shift towards “foundational supports” delivered outside the NDIS.
While full details are still emerging, it is understood the changes could see more than 160,000 people removed from the scheme, alongside adjustments to the types of support funded.
Mr Butler said in his announcement about changes to the NDIS that the government would aim to reduce the NDIS scheme participants from 760,000 to 600,000 by the end of the decade.
Mr Butler also said the average plan value was expected to be cut by $5,000 from around $31,000 to $26,000 in the next two years.
For providers in Logan, the immediate reaction has been uncertainty. Many providers who will be affected by the reforms were reluctant to be quoted or identified.
A staff member at Loganholme’s Centre Disability Support, who did not wish to be identified, said he personally felt uncertain about what was to come for providers and participants of the scheme.
“There’s definitely a bit of tension for the participants, and with our support workers as well,” he said.
“We don’t know how that’s going to impact our current participants. It’s a bit of a shock.”
Under the proposed changes, participants may face stricter assessments to prove their eligibility and justify ongoing support.
Funding for some services, particularly those linked to social and community participation, could also be scaled back, although the extent of this is still unclear.
Many NDIS scheme participants at Centre Disability Support are already worried about what will come next, a staff member said.
“Some of them are actually afraid that they might be removed,” he said.
“Others are scared that funding is going to be slashed.”
The staff member said his team had fielded a surge in calls from concerned participants and families.
“We’ve had quite a lot of participants who are just panicking,” he said.
The staff member said Centre Disability Support had tried to make contact with politicians and government officials to find out more about what providers should be doing to prepare for the change, but had not been successful.
For now, many in the sector are taking a wait-and-see approach, reassuring clients where they can, while bracing for further announcements.
“We’re just handling it day by day,” he said.
More details about changes to the scheme are expected at the end of the year, with reassessments for existing NDIS participants using the new eligibility requirements to begin in January 2028.
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