NDIS Cuts leave Australians with Disabilities Facing Neglect and Despair
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is facing intense scrutiny as participants report drastic cuts to funding and support, leading to a decline in quality of life and, in some cases, jeopardizing their health and safety.
The changes, implemented over the past year following revisions to NDIS legislation last October, have left hundreds of Australians with disabilities struggling to access essential care, with advocates warning of a growing crisis within the system.
Kieron D’Netto, a 39-year-old man from Brisbane living with C4-C5 quadriplegia following a diving accident at age 17, embodies the challenges facing many NDIS participants. Describing himself as “mentally tough,” D’Netto recounts how a recent email detailing cuts to his NDIS plan nearly broke him. “There’s been a couple moments where I’ve tried to avoid entirely breaking down,” he says. “I’ve tried to hold myself together mentally. It is severely taking a toll on me.”
D’Netto’s new plan considerably reduced his allocated support worker hours. He now receives just one support to three hours daily in May, with a corresponding reduction in community access support. He now rations his care,foregoing activities like stretching,and reports that his support workers frequently work beyond their paid hours.
D’Netto was particularly angered by a passage in a letter from the NDIA denying his appeal, which stated: “The evidence demonstrates that you have the capacity to partake in leisure activities of your choosing at home independently such as watching TV, using your phone or reading.”
“My existence doesn’t revolve around sitting in four walls and looking at a TV,” D’netto says, his voice filled with frustration. “It makes me feel dehumanised. I feel like just a case number for them to look at and go: ‘OK well, how can we reduce his funding?'”
The cumulative effect of these cuts has taken a notable toll on D’Netto’s mental health. “It makes you feel like, ‘Am I even a human to you guys?’ What’s the point of being here?” he asks.
The National Disability Insurance agency (NDIA) is scheduled to face questions in Senate estimates on Friday regarding its efforts to reduce the size and cost of the scheme. The health minister, Mark Butler, announced in August a goal to reduce the annual growth in participant numbers from 12% to 5-6%. However, for individuals like Kieron D’Netto, the human cost of these budgetary measures is already devastatingly clear.
In Australia,support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636,Lifeline on 13 11 14,and at MensLine on 1300 789 978.
