Changes to the NDIS Act
The Australian Government, with state and territory governments, is taking the first step to reform the NDIS following the Independent Review into the National Disability insurance Scheme (NDIS Review).
In December 2023 the Prime Minister and state and territory governments agreed to an initial response to the final report of the NDIS Review. This included introducing legislation changes in the first half of 2024.
On 27 March 2024, the Australian Government introduced changes to the NDIS Act 2013 (NDIS Act) that will enable future improvements to the NDIS and strengthen the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No 1) Bill 2024 is based on the recommendations of the NDIS Review.
The Bill represents the first tranche of several upcoming amendments to the NDIS Act, to improve the participant experience.
The Bill provides governments, and the disability community, with a framework to start improving the scheme for NDIS participants. Reforms in the Bill include:
- taking a whole of person approach to participant support needs
- improving service quality and safeguards
- reforming participant pathways onto the NDIS and working towards a unified system of support for people with disability.
Many improvements will not take effect until a suite of changes are made to NDIS Rules and the legislative instruments that outline the detailed operation of the Scheme, which are made with the states and territories.
- Explanatory Memorandum and Bill
- Corrected Explanatory Memorandum
- The Bill at a glance
- Fact sheet
- Easy Read version
- AUSLAN Video version
- Frequently asked questions
Correction to Explanatory Memorandum
Correction to the Explanatory Memorandum to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No.1) Bill 2024. Corrections relate to a small number of typographical errors in Schedule 1. The correction will be tabled in Parliament on 14 May 2024.
Next steps
When legislation passes, the Australian Government will go through a consultation and co-design process with the disability community on updates to the NDIS Rules—continuing to put people with disability at the heart of NDIS reforms.
NDIS legislation webinars
The Department of Social Services, together with Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM, presented 3 webinars to almost 2,500 people who registered to learn about proposed changes to the NDIA Act.
You can watch a recorded session of the NDIS Legislation webinar.
Design of the detail in Rules and legislative instruments
Following the successful passage of legislation, Rules and legislative instruments will be developed with the disability community, continuing to put people with disability at the heart of NDIS reforms.
The changes will take time to develop and will be implemented in stages, using a phased and considered approach.
More information about the co-design approach, including specific opportunities to engage, will be publicised in the coming weeks.
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