Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA) welcomes the joint call from Disability Representative Organisations (DROs) for clearer, fairer and more inclusive decisions about what the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will fund. Coordinated by Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA), the joint submission centres lived experience and puts forward practical solutions that help people, families and providers navigate the system with confidence.
The submission responds to consultations on the NDIS Supports Rules under section 10 of the NDIS Act and highlights the need to move from complicated ‘in’ and ‘out’ lists toward a simple, principles-based approach.
“People need clarity they can trust,” said Kerry Hawkins, CEO, Community Mental Health Australia.
“A straightforward, principles-based guide to what the NDIS will fund, that has been developed with people who use the system, will cut confusion, reduce stress, and help ensure decisions are fair and consistent across Australia,” Kerry added.
What the joint submission calls for
- A single, principles-based ‘in’ list with clear carve-outs, to improve consistency and make it easier for participants to understand what they can use their plans for.
- Stronger intersectional inclusion, so rules reflect diverse lived experiences including people with psychosocial disability and co-occurring needs and ensure supports are culturally appropriate, flexible and responsive.
- More realistic transition timeframes to allow genuine co-design and alignment with other reforms, giving people and services time to adapt without losing essential supports.
CMHA supports these practical, rights-based recommendations. Clear rules, co-produced with people who use and deliver supports every day, will help the NDIS work as intended and reduce the administrative burden that too often gets in the way of good outcomes.
“As the national peak for the community-managed mental health sector, we will continue to work alongside our colleagues across the disability community to champion reforms that keep people, especially those requiring psychosocial supports, at the centre,” said Kerry.
To read the article from DANA, click here.
To read the full submission, please click here.