Proposed NDIS legislative improvements and the Participant Service Guarantee

The Australian Government is proposing changes to the legislation underpinning the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to make processes easier and better for NDIS participants.

These changes are directly informed by the outcomes of the 2019 independent review of the NDIS legislation, conducted by Mr David Tune AO PSM.

Why the changes are needed

Mr Tune found that the NDIS legislation was broadly fit for purpose but several improvements could be made to remove barriers that made processes difficult or frustrating for participants and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which delivers the scheme.

Mr Tune made numerous recommendations to improve the participant experience, many of which require amendments to the NDIS Act and Rules. The Government supports these recommendations.

The proposed Bill will make amendments to the NDIS Act and Rules, giving effect to 14 of Mr Tune’s recommendations, in whole or in part. The remaining recommendations will be considered in future legislative amendments, following the co-design of a new assessment model to support access and planning. Interested parties are invited to comment on these proposed amendments.The consultation will last for a four week period. It is now open and will close at midnight on 7 October 2021.

As this consultation is on the proposed legislation, the questions in the Australian Government Department of Social Services' submissions form are very specific and act as a guide but we welcome broader feedback as well.

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