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The Government is accepting recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry into the rural, regional and remote NDIS experience. But will this change what’s happening on the ground or simply describe the problem more carefully?

Accepting the need for change is easy. That’s why government says it’s committed to implementing seven of the ten reccomendations of the Joint Standing Committee into the NDIS experience in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia.

The same for the coalition, which has added its own additional comment and recommendation on pricing (accepted by the government). This is, after all, opposition parliamentary territory.

On paper, this looks substantial. The Government promises simpler access, better guidance, stronger cultural capability, workforce action, First Nations language interpreting, improved CALD communication and better commissioning models.

But the problem has never been whether Canberra accepts the principle. It is whether support arrives.

A participant in a remote community does not need another acknowledgement that services are hard to reach. They need someone to come. They need culturally appropriate supports. They need providers who can stay and in this regard the response is cautious.

The committee asked for greater travel flexibility for participants in remote and very remote areas. The Government did not support it. It notes the recommendation, then points to existing remote loadings, higher price limits and provider travel arrangements.

This matters because travel is not a technical issue. In remote Australia it can be the difference between a plan that exists and support that is real.

[continued on the abilityNEWS website]

The Coalition is now threatening to use NDIS reform support as leverage in the separate tax fight, turning the Bill from a disability-policy test into a broader parliamentary weapon.

The Government has published its response to the rural, regional and remote NDIS inquiry. The real question is if regional participants will actually see practical changes or if this is simply another layer of formal acknowledgement - particularly given the new pressure to cut the scheme.

PWDA and Occupational Therapy Australia are moving in different but complementary ways: one is putting lived consequence back into the public argument, the other pushing the sector towards formal scrutiny of the Bill.

Bottom line: The system is tightening while the politics is widening. The short term focus is turning on parliamentary tactics with the next big inflection point the battle inside the Coalition. Does it treat the NDIS Bill as reform requiring proper scrutiny or simply wave it through in return for tax changes elsewhere?

Government responds to rural, regional and remote NDIS inquiry

The Australian Government has published its response to the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS report into participant experience in rural, regional and remote Australia. The committee report made 10 recommendations, with the response now formally setting out the Government’s position on those issues.

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

NDIS Bill remains on the House program

The House of Representatives’ sitting-week program lists the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 as business for the week beginning Monday 25 May. This keeps the legislation in the parliamentary pipeline as the Government seeks to press its reform timetable.

Parliament of Australia

PWDA publishes more stories on what the NDIS makes possible

People with Disability Australia has published another collection of community stories under its Reasonable. Necessary. Ordinary campaign. The post frames the NDIS through everyday supports such as getting out of bed, eating, working, community participation, safety, hospital avoidance and family stability.

People with Disability Australia

Occupational Therapy Australia urges submissions on NDIS Future Generations Bill

Occupational Therapy Australia has published a guide to making a submission on the NDIS Future Generations Bill. OTA says it is preparing its own submission and is asking participants, families, occupational therapists, providers and supporters to send short submissions.

Occupational Therapy Australia

DSC conference program points to reform, quality and viability themes

Team DSC’s Annual NDIS Conference in August will highlight NDIS reform, viability, and research-to-practice as major program themes. The listed speakers include NDIA CEO Graeme Head, NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Louise Glanville, Associate Commissioner Natalie Wade and sector representatives.

Team DSC

Coalition threatens to retract NDIS reform support

ABC News reports the Coalition is threatening to retract support for NDIS reform unless Labor agrees to an inquiry into tax changes. The item says the Government is progressing both changes to investor tax breaks and reforms to rein in NDIS spending growth, while Angus Taylor is prepared to use the NDIS Bill as leverage.

ABC Listen | Paywall: No

Flexible work broader than just working from home, advocacy group says

ABC News reports submissions to a federal inquiry into the right to work from home warn the issue is broader than remote work alone. People with Disability Western Australia says changes could inadvertently discriminate where working from home full-time is a reasonable adjustment.

ABC News | Paywall: No

Albanese government to resist Senate inquiry into CGT changes but explore narrow carveouts for startups

Sky News reports the Government will resist a Senate inquiry into capital gains tax changes while considering narrower carve-outs. Entrepreneur Maddi Wright says she’s “exhausted” by changes to the NDIS and capital gains tax.

Sky News | Paywall: unclear

‘Prosecco and poppers’ Disgraced NDIS worker drugs and assaults former client

A former NDIS support worker will spend six months in prison after he gave his former client drugs and alcohol before sexually assaulting them at his home.

The Chronicle | Paywall: Yes