Senate NDIS inquiry reveals that 351,000 Australians will be left with nowhere to go - 11 June 2026

Senate NDIS inquiry reveals that 351,000 Australians will be left with nowhere to go - 11 June 2026

After three days of Senate Inquiry hearings, not a single witness or organisation supports the Albanese Government’s sweeping reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Today, the Department revealed 351,000 Australians will no longer be able to access the NDIS and will have to look elsewhere for supports that State and Territory Disability Ministers have said simply don’t exist.

Shadow Minister for the NDIS, Melissa McIntosh MP, said this was the first time the Government has disclosed the number of people with disabilities that will be impacted by the changes.

“The Albanese Labor Government has finally disclosed at least 351,000 people with disabilities will be without NDIS supports once this Bill passes.

“In an unprecedented move, State and Territory Disability Minister’s today made a joint submission to the Senate Inquiry pushing back on the Albanese Labor Government’s reforms declaring they were not consulted.

“State and Territory Disability Minister’s also highlighted the significant risk that that people with disability will end up in hospitals or other settings that are inappropriate and can’t meet their needs or with no services at all.

“The message from State and Territory Disability Minister’s could not be clearer: Slow Down now, or risk people with disability ending up in our hospitals or worse.

“The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability took four years and cost around $600 million. The Albanese Government is ignoring the findings of the Royal Commission which could not have been clearer - consult, consult and consult again.

“The Albanese Government is ignoring the warnings from the disability community and the multitude of experts in this space, and they should hang their heads in shame.

“Throughout the hearings, witnesses have been telling the Committee that people will die as a result of these changes. It is our responsibility to listen to their concerns.

“The Coalition has been raising this concern since Minister Butler made this announcement six weeks ago. These changes cannot be an exercise in cost-shifting. The Minister must guarantee that if participants are removed from the NDIS, they will not fall through the cracks, and right now everyone but the Minister is sounding the alarm.

“We can’t leave people with nowhere to go, and we must not have a return to the dark days before the Disability Royal Commission where we have people with disability in nursing homes or institutions.

“The NDIS must be sustainable and it needs real reform. However, in the rush to cut expenditure, we cannot forget that there are human lives at the other end. People are not line items on a spreadsheet,” said Mrs McIntosh.