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The argument over the latest NDIS Bill is no longer only about what Parliament intends. It is increasingly about whether the machinery expected to carry out the changes is ready.

People with Disability Australia says the figures reveal the danger of rushing reform. About 40 per cent of a sample of providers continued claiming non-permitted “Other Professionals” supports after the rules changed in October 2025. This is not a Scheme-wide failure rate. It does, however, expose the gap between changing a rule and ensuring it is understood—and followed.

Meanwhile, Team DSC says the Bill would tighten the connection between a participant’s eligible impairment and funded supports. It would replace supports “arising” from an impairment with supports “directly arising” from it and remove wording that allows wider contextual and environmental factors to be considered.

That could matter most where a person’s support needs cannot be cleanly divided between one impairment, another condition and the environment in which they live. Team DSC advises participants to obtain the NDIA’s record of their eligible impairments so they can see what the agency is working from.

Bottom line: Parliament is being asked to approve a tighter legal test while evidence about implementation capacity remains contested. The policy question is what the Bill means. The operational question is whether the NDIA, providers and participants will receive clear, consistent and usable rules before it takes effect, and if the services will be available.

Data Watch: PWDA says about 40 per cent of the sampled providers continued making non-permitted Other Professionals claims after the October 2025 change. The figure describes the sample examined, not all NDIS providers.

Source: People with Disability Australia

Consultation opens on $200 million Inclusive Communities Fund

The Australian Government is seeking views on how a $200 million, three-year fund should help community organisations make social, recreational, arts, sporting and cultural activities more inclusive for people with disability; submissions close at 11.59 pm AEST on 31 August.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Hearing program recognises restricted-scope audiologists

The Hearing Services Program will recognise specified overseas-qualified restricted-scope audiologists as qualified practitioners, while limiting independent non-routine case management and warning providers that non-compliant claims may be recovered.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Court limits direct appeals from interim ART decisions

The Federal Court struck out an NDIS participant’s appeal from an interim ART ruling allowing the NDIA to inspect medical records, finding the statutory appeal right generally applies only to final tribunal decisions, but allowed him to reframe the case as a judicial-review application.

Source: Federal Court of Australia

People with Disability Australia says the finding that about 40 per cent of sampled providers kept claiming non-permitted “Other Professionals” supports after an October rule change strengthens the case against passing the current NDIS Bill. PWDA links the result to broader concerns about agency implementation capacity and says Parliament should not approve major changes before delivery systems are ready.

Source: People with Disability Australia

New research involving more than 12,000 apprentices and trainees found 58 per cent of apprentices with disability said cost of living affected them quite or extremely, compared with 55 per cent overall. Apprenticeship Support Australia also reports that mental-health distress was associated with a greater likelihood of considering leaving, while supportive workplaces were associated with stronger retention.

Source: Apprenticeship Support Australia

Team DSC says the NDIS Bill would require supports to be directly linked to the impairment through which a person entered the Scheme and would remove wording that allows wider contextual and environmental factors to be considered. Author Lisa Duffy advises participants to obtain the NDIA’s record of their eligible impairments so they can understand how the proposed change may affect them.

Source: Team DSC — Lisa Duffy

A Centre for Social Impact UWA discussion paper says existing economic evaluations of community psychosocial supports show improved outcomes and cost offsets, including reduced pressure on clinical and crisis services. The authors caution that Australian evidence remains limited and call for clearer definitions, better program mapping and stronger economic evaluation.

Source: Centre for Social Impact UWA

Team DSC says participant choice can be constrained before a person contacts a provider if its website is difficult to find, read or navigate. Ann Drieberg’s checklist asks providers to test plain language, colour contrast, screen-reader access, descriptive links and whether pricing, eligibility and contact information can be found without unnecessary barriers.

Source: Team DSC — Ann Drieberg

Nicci Carlson has multiple autoimmune conditions, including psoriatic arthritis., but has been sitting in her Canberra flat since her husband passed away. She uses art therapy to help with her grief but is concerned she will lose this with the impending NDIS cuts.

Canberra ABC