23/06/2026
What happened today with the NDIS Bill?
Today, the Federal Government’s proposed NDIS Bill was postponed, with the Senate inquiry extended for another eight weeks.
That means the Bill has not passed and the proposed changes are not law yet.
This happened after growing pressure from disability organisations, advocates, and community members who raised serious concerns about the scale of the changes and the speed at which they were being pushed through. The extension was secured as part of negotiations between the Greens and Labor.
What does this mean?
It means there is now more time to scrutinise the Bill.
This is important because the Bill would make some of the biggest changes to the NDIS in its history, including:
• making it harder to access the NDIS
• tightening eligibility for children and early intervention
• expanding “parental responsibility” expectations
• forcing people to exhaust other supports or treatments first
• reducing participant choice and control
• cutting or limiting supports like social and community participation
• increasing Ministerial powers over who gets what supports
For many families, this could mean more unpaid care, more financial pressure, and less safety.
Why was it delayed?
Because the inquiry process was widely criticised as rushed.
Disability advocates, legal experts, unions, parents, and even sections of Labor itself warned that these reforms could remove tens of thousands of people from the scheme and fundamentally reshape it without proper consultation. ABC reports that advocates called the original timeline “ridiculous” and “disrespectful.”
Is this a win?
Yes but it is not over.
The delay gives us more time to organise, educate, and push back.
It shows that collective pressure is working.
But the Government has not withdrawn the Bill.
They are still pursuing major reforms in the name of “sustainability.”
What happens next?
The Senate inquiry will continue and report back later in August.
That means the fight continues.
ANPA will keep advocating to:
• stop harmful cuts
• protect autistic children and families
• oppose forced treatment pathways
• defend participant choice and control
• challenge the gendered impact of shifting care onto mothers
[Image description: Across the top middle is a green banner with black writing that says 'What happened with the NDIS Bill today?', in the bottom left corner is a person looking upwards curiously, next to them on the right is the green ANPA logo, the background is a cream colour with numerous black question marks]
