ABC RN with Sally Sara - 9 June 2026

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services
Shadow Minister for the NDIS
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Lindsay

9 June 2026

Transcript

ABC RN with Sally Sara

Topics: NDIS Senate inquiry, Jacinta Allan ‘ditch the witch’ PM comments

E&EO

Sally Sara 

Scheme, and the Senate committee hearings into the government's overhaul, which begin later today. It's been reported that the Coalition and the Greens are in three-way talks with the Government over support for the NDIS changes and Labor's budget tax package, as well as the length of the parliamentary inquiries into each bill. Melissa McIntosh is the Shadow Minister for the NDIS, and also Shadow Minister for Women, Families, and Social Services. Melissa McIntosh, welcome back to Breakfast.

Melissa McIntosh 

Thank you. Good morning.

Sally Sara 

What's the Coalition's view here on the NDIS changes? Do they deserve more scrutiny than three days of parliamentary hearings?

Melissa McIntosh 

I pushed really hard on the government to get the three days initially as part - I thought it was very important for people to have their say and as time goes on, I'm not against it being longer if it needs to be. The pure fact that over 4000 submissions have come through, yet only 437 I believe, as of this morning, are uploaded onto the Government's own website is concerning. So, there is high anxiety out in the community. Minister Butler announced the changes to the NDIS at the Press Club with zero consultation with the disability community, so it is very fast. They're big changes, and looking at the submissions coming through this, there's a considerable amount of concern, including from organisations like the Grattan Institute expressing concerns over short-term budget gains and the risks of this.

Sally Sara 

If the Government does a deal with the Greens to extend the inquiry into the NDIS reforms, would the Coalition welcome that?

Melissa McIntosh 

It depends what the deal is. This is where it gets a little bit tricky and political, because the Government wants to push through its tax changes, and they pulled all of those changes together, where the Coalition was supportive of the $250 tax offset and the $1,000 instant tax deduction, but not supportive of changes to negative gearing or CGT, but that's all been lumped together into one piece of legislation. They want to rush this through, so they might want to do a deal with the Greens, but ultimately, from my point of view, as a portfolio holder, the shadow portfolio for the NDIS, I want what's right for the Australian people. I think it's really important that we do get these changes right.

Sally Sara 

So, what do you think the chances are of the Greens getting what they want on the NDIS inquiry, and you getting what you want on the tax changes?

Melissa McIntosh 

I don't - call me sceptical. I don't know, the Government can do what it likes, and has the power. If it wants to do a deal with the Greens, that's going to be up to them, but you know, I don't want any deal to be at the detriment of people with disability. There's already enough anxiety out there, as you said. It's day one of the inquiry now. There's no doubt that the NDIS budget is way out of control. I don't think anyone's questioning that, but the Government, you have to remember, built this whole change on tackling fraud and saying that the NDIS is losing its social licence, but there's very little in the legislation that even deals with fraud and corruption and crooks and criminals. It is purely focused on the participants, and that's where my concern is, that people will have somewhere to go if they do get kicked off the NDIS, because right now that's questionable, and that people won't have their plans just cut willy nilly, because we're hearing that's happening right now as well.

Sally Sara 

What questions does the Coalition need answered about the implementation and effect of NDIS reforms to give them your support in the Senate?

Melissa McIntosh 

I think this is why the inquiry is so very important. I still have a lot of questions around the ministerial powers, even. There's so much in the legislation, yet so little detail on how this thing is going to be rolled out, even the modelling behind it, with the Government saying it wants to reduce growth from over 10% down to below 2%, yet they haven't achieved their original targets of 8% and 5% yet. So, questions around how they're going to do that and not be at the detriment of people on the Scheme, ensuring that people have somewhere to go, and it's not a cost shifting exercise. The states need to be ready, not pushing people off the Scheme before they don't have somewhere to go, and as I said to you, making sure that if you are eligible to be on the Scheme, that the Minister can't just, because the Minister will have these extraordinary powers, be able to cut plans without a good reason to do so. So still a lot of questions, and that's why I've pushed so hard to have this inquiry, even if it is only three days.

Sally Sara 

On Radio National Breakfast, I'm speaking to Shadow Minister for the NDIS, Shadow Minister also for Women, Families, and Social Services, Melissa McIntosh. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen has denounced a political sign featuring an image of herself and the phrase "ditch the witch" as sexist. The PM also says, quote, "it's a sexist campaign and totally unacceptable." What do you think?

Melissa McIntosh 

I'm torn on this one, because the Prime Minister, I saw his press conference yesterday, carried on about it, yet he was nowhere to be seen when one of my former colleagues, Nicolle Flint, was really copping it in the public in really sexist ways. So, if the Prime Minister is going to do this for a Labor premier, can you please stand up for all women, because we really don't ever see him defending women from my side of politics, and we're at the front of it as well, and I saw Pauline Hanson talking about her copping over the years, and it doesn't mean I agree with her current position, but if you're going to do it for one woman, do it for all women, PM, or otherwise, it's just empty promises, and you're just playing politics.

Sally Sara 

Melissa McIntosh, we'll need to leave it there. Thank you for your time this morning.

Melissa McIntosh 

Thank you.