Australia’s disability sector is currently experiencing some of the most significant change since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was introduced.
On Tuesday 22 April, the Minister for Health and the NDIS, Mark Butler, spoke at the National Press Club, outlining proposed reform to the NDIS. The Government wants to make the NDIS stronger and make sure it is used in the way it was initially designed – to support people with permanent and significant disability.
The Government’s plan focuses on four key areas: stopping fraud, slowing fast-growing costs, making eligibility clearer, and improving the quality of services and supports.
Aurora Support Services’, purpose has always been simple: to create meaningful opportunities for people with disability to belong and thrive. We’ve been doing this for more than 50 years, and regardless how much the sector evolves, our commitment remains.
So, what’s changing…
From the middle of this year, the way people are assessed for their NDIS plans will start to change. The government is introducing a new national planning system with the aim of making support needs assessments and funding decisions simpler, fairer, and more consistent.
One change that may affect some people is a reduction in funding for Social and Community Participation from 1 October 2026 over two years. It is unclear how this may be implemented; participants may have the option of participating in more group supports rather than individualised supports. Alternatively, we may see a reduction in funded support hours.
As part of this change, from January 2028, the Government will introduce a new standardised assessment for people joining the NDIS. Current participants will have their eligibility reviewed again when their plans are renewed. This assessment will look at how much a person’s disability affects their daily life, and only those with significant and ongoing difficulties will be eligible to access the NDIS. Everyone will move to this new planning model over the next four years and people with more complex needs may have some additional assessments.
Aurora will strive to ensure our participants continue to access the supports they need to stay safe and live the life they choose.
Building a sustainable future for providers
It’s no secret that the disability sector is under financial pressure. Almost half of all providers reported a loss in 2024–25, and many others only just broke even. This isn’t caused by just one issue – but a combination of structural challenges across the sector.
NDIS price limits continue to put real pressure on providers. The NDIS sets maximum prices providers can charge for services, and many of these have been reduced or frozen for several years. The cost of delivering services continues to rise, leaving many providers operating at a loss.
The provider market is also extremely crowded because of low barriers to entry. It’s estimated there are more than 154,000 unregistered providers compared with just 16,000 registered ones. This has contributed to the rise of fraudulent operators in the industry and puts pressure on registered organisations to compete with others who do not need to adhere to the same high levels of quality and compliance as registered providers. Aurora welcomes the government’s efforts to increase registration requirements, service quality, and tackle fraud in the sector.
From July 2027 many unregistered NDIS providers will be required to undergo the rigorous registration process to become registered. Some types of providers (Support Coordinators, Supported Independent Living and Platform providers) must register even earlier, from July this year.
Aurora Support Services has been a fully registered NDIS provider since 2016, which means:
- Our staff have relevant qualifications and worker checks
- We adhere to comprehensive safety and quality rules and regulations
- We are independently audited regularly to ensure we remain compliant with NDIS standards
- We have strong policies, processes, and procedures to protect participants and deliver high quality supports
The Government wants to rid the sector of unsafe or dishonest NDIS providers, so that legitimate providers can thrive and keep participants safe. We encourage all participants to ensure your NDIS providers you use are registered.
To keep delivering high-quality services well into the future, providers need to align their work with NDIS pricing arrangements. This is an important part of ensuring long-term financial sustainability, while meeting compliance and regulatory requirements. We also need to keep reviewing our services and processes to make sure they’re efficient and fit for purpose.
What’s not changing: our focus on the people who matter
There’s a lot happening in the disability sector, however at Aurora, our focus remains exactly where it should: on our participants, their families, and the employees who support them every day. These are the people at the heart of every decision we make.
Change can bring uncertainty, and it can also lead to better systems, stronger safeguards, and more meaningful opportunities. We’ll keep sharing what we know, listening to what matters, and advocating for a system that is fair, sustainable, and centred on the needs of people with disability and their families.
For more information, please click on this easy read guide from the NDIS: NDIS Changes Easy Read Guide
