The NDIS is undergoing major reforms. The NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Act 2026 is being implemented in stages through to 2030. Some changes are already in effect.
From 1 October 2026, new plans and reassessments will begin using reset budget allocations for social, civic and community participation supports, including a 50 per cent reduction in allocations, and for capacity building daily activity supports, including a 10 per cent reduction in allocations. These changes will be introduced progressively as plans are renewed or reassessed. Further changes to planning begin in 2027.
For many Canberrans with disability, this is not abstract policy. It is about whether you can keep going to the activities that matter to you, stay connected to people, manage day-to-day life, and keep the supports that make ordinary life possible. For some families, it also means working out how the NDIS relates to other supports, including Thriving Kids, as they become available.
Advocacy for Inclusion is running this project to hear directly from people affected and document what these changes mean in practice. We will speak with Canberrans with disability, and carers and families, throughout 2026 and 2027. We will stay in touch over time, so we can see what changes as each stage of reform is introduced.
Why this matters
Supports that help people take part in social and community life, and build daily-living skills, may change when plans are reassessed or renewed. For people with disability, carers and families, the effects may be felt in the ordinary parts of life: staying connected, managing day-to-day responsibilities and retaining the support needed to participate in the community.
This evidence matters. The ACT Government is relying on organisations like Advocacy for Inclusion to show, through real examples, how these changes are affecting the community. What people tell us will inform both the ACT Government’s response to the reforms and our own advocacy.
How it works
This is not a one-off conversation. We are running a series of small group discussions across 2026 and 2027, with each discussion focused on a different part of the reforms. We will stay in touch with participants between sessions to track what is getting harder, what is being lost, and what is being absorbed by individuals and families.
Our first panel is recruiting now and focuses on the October 2026 changes to social and community participation and capacity building supports. We plan to hold two panels on this topic, one before and one after the major changes begin. The first panel will take place at the end of September.
As further changes take effect through 2027, we will open panels about changes to how plans are assessed, renewed or refused, and about the experience of working out how the NDIS and Thriving Kids fit together. You can register your interest in future panels now, even if your situation does not fit the current panel.
Carers and family members are a core part of this project. As formal supports reduce, more can be absorbed by unpaid carers. We want that cost documented in its own right.
What we will do with what we hear
We will remove names and identifying details from the information people share. It will inform:
- the ACT Government’s Disability Reform Taskforce, so the people making decisions about the ACT response can understand what is happening for people in the community; and
- Advocacy for Inclusion’s own advocacy work, including submissions, reports and public campaigns.
We cannot promise that taking part will change an individual’s situation or reverse the reforms. We can promise a direct line: your experience will reach people making decisions about how the ACT responds, rather than sitting in a general record that may not be read.
Who we are looking for
We want to hear from any Canberran with disability who is experiencing these changes firsthand, and from carers and family members supporting them. We particularly want to hear from people who do not always get a seat at the table, including people with psychosocial disability, people with intellectual disability, First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people in regional parts of the ACT.
What is involved
You may join one or more small group discussions and stay in touch with us between sessions. We will explain exactly what this involves before you decide. We will make participation as accessible as possible. If you need a support person, communication support or anything else, please let us know.
Taking part is voluntary. You can withdraw at any time, for any reason. Participants are paid for their time.
What this project cannot do
This project cannot reverse the NDIS changes, fix an individual situation or get a support reinstated. What it can do is make sure your experience is on the record, in front of the people with the power to act, and part of the public conversation about what these reforms are doing.
Get involved
If you are a Canberran with disability, or a carer or family member, and you would like to take part, register your interest through AFI Listens.