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Mark Butler is pushing ahead with two controversial changes to the NDIS. So far, opposition has been muted. There is little sign -so far - of this becoming a significant political issue. As today’s Wrap (below) demonstrates, however, it is begining to gain traction in the media.

Over the past three weeks, Health and NDIS Minister Mark Butler has unveiled two sweeping and controversial changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. One involves a sharp cut in travel funding and therapy pricing that disproportionately affects regional participants. The other: a pivot to restrict autism-related supports, focusing instead on “functional impairment” over diagnosis.

Together, these measures represent a significant shift in how the NDIS will operate — particularly for people outside major cities.

And yet, remarkably, the backlash has been muted.

Although peak bodies and advocacy groups have voiced alarm (see our earlier reports on OTA's petition and other condemnations of pricing changes), political resistance remains curiously absent. The Coalition, historically eager to prosecute alleged NDIS "blowouts", is silent. The Greens — despite their claims to support the sector — have yet to raise the issue meaningfully.

Only regional MP’s are so far showing any real fight. Unsurprisingly, they're focused on the rural angle.

This lack of broader opposition has created a rare moment of political quiet. Butler understands this and is using it to push ahead with the changes. The question is, will it last?

As the impact of the changes begin to hit families, providers and local economies, especially in the regions, pressure will build. The real question is not whether there will be backlash — but who will harness it when it finally arrives.