The abilityNEWS Daily
The Big Story
Queensland May Scrap Livable Housing Rules
It was meant to be a basic step forward. It was intended to bring homes into the 21st century. Instead, the Queensland Government is backing away from its promise to require new housing to meet minimum accessibility standards.
And the white-shoe brigade is winning. The danger is that if - or when - Queensland dispenses with accessible design as part of the rush to build houses, other states may follow.
If the government caves into industry lobbying, the cost will be carried not by developers, but by hundreds of thousands of Queenslanders who need homes they can actually live in.
The decision to delay implementation of the national minimum accessibility standard, originally set to commence from 1 October 2023, places Queensland on a path to betrayal.
After years of slow consultation the state finally signed up to the 2022 National Construction Code (NCC) update. This included silver-level Livable Housing Design Standard, which includes basic features like step-free entry, accessible showers, and wider doorways. But facing pressure from the powerful development lobby that wants to do things any way it likes, the government is now backpedalling.
“This is a betrayal of people with disability, older people, and families with young children,” says the Queensland Disability Network’s CEO Michelle Moss. “It is being driven by powerful vested interests who are trying to turn a quick buck. Our rights are being traded away.”
Critically, it’s not just advocacy groups warning of disaster. A joint statement from a coalition including the Australian Institute of Architects, the Building Designers Association, and Physical Disability Australia makes clear the stakes: without regulation, the housing crisis for people with disability will deepen, locking them out of the market for decades.
The Briefing
Image credit: Every Australian Counts
Understanding the NDIS: Overview of the changes to NDIS legislation
by DARU for NDIA resource
New NDIS laws came into effect on 3 October 2024, introducing changes to funding periods and support arrangements. The NDIA is running information sessions to explain the reforms, including updates to impairment criteria and legislative processes. This presentation will help you understand what’s new, what's changed, and what's still to come. The NDIA will cover a variety of topics including funding periods, NDIS Supports, impairment information, and other reforms.
CYDA’s Submission to Australia’s Fourth Universal Periodic Review
by Children and Young People with Disability Australia
Children and Young People with Disability Australia has contributed to Australia’s fourth Universal Periodic Review by the United Nations. Their submission urges stronger policies and practices to prevent bullying in schools and digital spaces for disabled youth.
Disability Representative and Carers Organisation (DRCO) Forum summary – 29 May 2025
by NDIA
The Disability Representative and Carers Organisation Forum met on 29 May 2025 to discuss key sector challenges and priorities. Members shared recent developments, upcoming activities and ongoing efforts to improve outcomes for people with disability and their carers.
Sharing Helps: How Reporting to the TGA Supports the MS Community
by Multiple Sclerosis Australia
Reporting side effects of medicines to the Therapeutic Goods Administration helps improve safety monitoring for people with multiple sclerosis. MS Australia encourages the community to share their experiences to support better treatment outcomes and research developments.
Our ”Fair and Accessible Healthcare” webinar is now available to view online
by Physical Disability Australia
The PDA has released a webinar exploring the ongoing challenges faced by Australians with physical disability in the healthcare system. Experts discussed policy reform, service design and systemic barriers, calling for lasting improvements and lived experience input.
Disability Matters - 2 days of free events in Broken Hill
by City of Broken Hill
Join us in Broken Hill for interactive workshops 9th & 10th September including learning how to speak up for yourself, understand how our services can empower you and how to strengthen your chances to find and keep an inclusive, accessible job; info-sessions on your rights as a person with disabilities, and understanding education support for our kids with disabilities; as well as self-care for their parents.
Was your house freezing over winter? A bit more red tape could have kept you warm – new analysis
by The Australia Institute
Australian homes lag behind global energy efficiency standards due to weak regulation, worsening winter hardship and heating costs. The Australia Institute urges stronger building rules, fewer investor tax breaks, and public sector housing to ease the crisis. Such regulations would have a significant effect for marginalised people with fragile accommodation options.
[Photo: Pinterest]
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The Wrap
Autistic mum who can’t cook or clean rejected by NDIS
by news.com.au
A young mother who claimed her autism diagnosis left her “unable to clean, cook or do any housework” has failed in a bid to get accepted onto the NDIS. The mum, who is legally qualified and works in government and community leadership, applied to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2023 but was refused on the basis that her condition did not substantially reduce her functional capacity.
Opinion: I predicted a decade ago the NDIS would fail. Here’s how to fix it
by AFR (Simon Duffy)
For better or worse, the problem is not the behaviour of disabled people, families, service providers or bureaucrats. The real problem lies deep in the design of the NDIS. The NDIS has become a watchword on the dangers of unintended consequences. The economic cost grows, and yet there also seems to be growing and significant dissatisfaction within the disability community about the scheme.
Autism and the NDIS still raises more questions than answers
by The Mandarin
The numbers may come as a shock: out of the 739,414 people who currently have a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan, 45% cite autism as their main disability. ‘Intellectual disability’ and ‘developmental delay’ combined make up another 27%, meaning that these three categories of impairment account for 72% of all NDIS plans.
Young men dominate JobSeeker disability numbers in shock data
by The Australian
Almost half of the young men on JobSeeker with reduced work obligations say they have intellectual or learning impairments, in another sign that a growing number of men and boys under 18 with neurological issues are putting strain on the federal budget.
Disability housing scheme hijacked by spruikers and cowboys
by realestatebusiness.com.au
An ABC Four Corners investigation into specialist disability accommodation (SDA), this week, revealed what I and others have been saying for some time: SDA has been hijacked, writes Goro Gupta, founder and CEO of Ethical Property Investments.
The Diary
