NDIS changes ‘retrogressive’ and out of step with review, MPs say

The Albanese government’s proposed NDIS reforms have come under fire from a parliamentary committee. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images View image in fullscreen The Albanese government’s proposed NDIS reforms have come under fire from a parliamentary committee. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images NDIS changes ‘retrogressive’ and out of step with review, MPs say Report by Labor-led joint human rights committee says cuts to the $50bn scheme could limit support for those in need Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Sweeping changes to the NDIS appear “retrogressive” and lack alignment with a landmark independent review to improve the $50bn-a-year scheme, a Labor-led committee has found. The 57-page scrutiny report from the joint human rights committee, released on Friday, examined the proposed changes under the Albanese government ahead of a separate report due next week by a Senate inquiry. The Labor-chaired committee questioned the human rights implications of winding back access for more than 200,000 participants in the coming years, which could leave many without sufficient disability support. It comes as the NDIS minister, Mark Butler, doubled down on passing the proposed legislative changes in next June’s sitting period as experts, advocates and providers this week criticised the bill and claimed the Senate inquiry’s short reporting period did not provide enough time to scrutinise the plans. The committee’s report looked at the government’s proposed changes and how they interact with Australia’s obligations to international human rights law, including the “duty to refrain from taking retrogressive measures, or backwards steps”. “The statement of compatibility states that the measures are aimed at preserving the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and this may directly or indirectly limit the range of health-related supports or funding accessed through the NDIS for some individuals,” the report said. “As such, it appears the measures would be retrogressive and thus limit these human rights.” Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email Under the proposed changes, a legal framework to determine who can, and cannot, access the NDIS based on “substantially reduced functional capacity” will be introduced from 2028. The government’s own modelling has shown this will remove about 241,000 people from the scheme by mid-2031, bringing the total number of participants down to 600,000. The committee’s report said the intent of the overhaul – to ensure the NDIS will be financially sustainable and available for future participants by diverting some to mainstream services – was a legitimate objective. But it said that objective also assumes mainstream support services are “available and accessible”. “Questions therefore arise as to whether this is the case and whether the measure would be effective to achieve the stated objective in practice,” the report said. The committee’s report also added that the measures did not