Recently, the Minister for the NDIS set a target to reduce the number of participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme to 600,000. This implies that, based on original estimates, around 340,000 people with disabilities would lose eligibility to participate in the scheme. Many people with disabilities, particularly those with autism, are worried about losing support, because in the original design of the NDIS, people with autism were not expected to be one of its main participant groups.
The “Working Alongside People with Disabilities” column previously discussed using workplace internships to help young autistic people understand the world and develop communication skills. This is currently one of the areas supported by the NDIS. After the government revises eligibility rules for the scheme, it remains to be seen what will happen to such programs. However, I believe that supporting the development of work capabilities for people with autism is a priority the Australian government is willing to support, as it aligns closely with the original intent of the NDIS. In fact, within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, there are also courses designed to help learners build workplace skills, which could be used as training resources for people with autism. With high-quality and effective training programs, I believe society is willing to support this group of individuals who are striving to enter the workforce and who are different yet unique.
The shortcomings of the NDIS
The current difficulties facing the NDIS are, in the view of many, the result of misjudgements made when the Labor government passed the legislation in March 2013 regarding the scheme’s feasibility and implementation challenges. The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which administers the NDIS, was established on 1 July 2013. However, after the federal election on 18 September that year, the Coalition came into government, and Mitch Fifield served as Assistant Minister for Social Services, responsible for implementing the NDIS.
However, it was not until late 2015 that the Liberal-National government made major changes to the NDIA. During this two-year period, the NDIA largely implemented the scheme based on the original Labor vision. Therefore, who should bear responsibility for today’s problems remains unclear, and the Labor Party has not deeply pursued this question.
The NDIS was originally the vision of then Disability Services Minister Bill Shorten. After Labor left office in 2013, he became Opposition Leader and closely monitored the early implementation of the scheme. The Coalition government only adjusted the administration and implementation policies of the NDIA two years later, meaning that the initial rollout of the NDIS still largely followed the original legislative intent of the Labor government.
As a result, there is some basis for the argument that today’s problems stem from insufficient consideration at the time of legislation. However, it is also not entirely accurate to say the Coalition government had no responsibility, as both major parties appear reluctant to take full accountability for the current challenges facing the NDIS.
The reality is that the NDIS has indeed provided resources to many people with disabilities and improved their lives and circumstances. However, it is clear that the scheme was initially designed under the assumption that Australia would have sufficient resources to sustain it. The reform package introduced by Bill Shorten at the end of 2024, when he stepped down as NDIS Minister, focused mainly on operational and administrative improvements, but did not address the scheme’s financial structure, nor did it make it more broadly acceptable to the public.
Support for people with autism
It is evident that support for people with autism in the past was insufficient. The NDIS has indeed provided financial assistance, allowing many to purchase necessary support services. However, whether these services are considered value for money by the public, or whether they meet the original objectives of the scheme, remains widely debated.
In practice, part of the NDIS funding is intended to improve the social lives of people with autism. However, as a large number of participants have entered the system, the resources allocated to them are believed to have exceeded initial budget expectations. It is therefore foreseeable that significant funding cuts, along with tighter regulation through alternative programs, are likely unavoidable.
Nevertheless, the introduction of the NDIS has undeniably increased public awareness of how to support the personal development of people with autism. It is now time for society to seriously consider how best to support this group with special needs and to establish clear principles for such support.
From the perspective of parents, it is understandable that when their children develop differently from others, they experience anxiety, helplessness, and fear. Therefore, calls for greater social support are entirely reasonable. However, the extent of support that society should provide cannot be determined solely by parents; this is precisely the dilemma the NDIS must address.
At the same time, the implementation of the NDIS has also led to the commodification of services, and fewer resources being invested in research and development of more effective interventions for people with autism. How the government can improve this situation remains one of the key challenges ahead.
Returning to the original intent of the NDIS
The current difficulties in the NDIS stem, in part, from the over-commercialisation of disability support services and insufficient regulation. During the Coalition government’s implementation phase, lower administrative costs were prioritised, resulting in many service providers and participants viewing the NDIS as a system lacking strict oversight.
Non-profit organisations that once focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities have in some cases been replaced by profit-driven companies, and instances of fraud have also emerged, leading to waste of resources.
The government has now proposed returning to a registration-based system, but how to simplify procedures for hundreds of thousands of service providers remains unclear. However, it is evident that treating all disability support services as purely commercial and leaving them entirely to market mechanisms is an oversimplification of a complex issue.
In practice, some non-profit and community-based organisations have been able to provide more diverse and comprehensive services under the NDIS framework. It is therefore time for the government to return to the original intent of the NDIS, combining community resources with committed organisations, and reforming the current poorly regulated service model.
I believe that if the government provides more non-profit organisations with resources to develop into more effective and comprehensive NDIS service providers, it would be possible, within the current framework, to significantly improve outcomes and deliver better services to people with disabilities.
Bilingual autism workplace internship program
Earlier this year, the “Rejoice Organisation” launched a workplace internship and training program for bilingual, high-functioning autistic individuals to enter the workplace. This is currently one of the services eligible for NDIS funding.
If you know someone who may benefit, you are welcome to contact me so we can explore how this type of service might help those in need.
This is a program that has been tested over nearly a year and has proven to be effective. Members of the editorial and production team of Companions are currently participants in this initiative. We have seen how such programs can create opportunities for people with autism, and we hope to gain broader community support so that the program can continue to grow.
If you would like to learn more about this program, please feel free to contact me.
For those interested in the program, contact raymond@sameway.com.au or 0422 871 799 for more details.
Mr. Raymond Chow