Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), designed to support people with lifelong and severe disabilities, is facing significant changes due to its rapidly increasing costs. The scheme's annual budget has escalated to $54bn, supporting over 700,000 Australians, a substantial increase from initial estimates of $22bn for 475,000 participants.
Proposals introduced by the federal government earlier this year aim to implement tighter controls to reduce the scheme's size and budget. The NDIS Amendment bill passed the House of Representatives at the beginning of July, with a Senate inquiry into the changes due to report on 14 August. The legislation is expected to pass in the Senate shortly after this date.
The NDIS was introduced in 2012 and fully accessible across Australia by 2020, providing funding based on individual needs and allowing participants some freedom in how they spend it. However, its growth has led to concerns about sustainability.