Nick Avery

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has announced a reset in how it will work with people with disability to design changes to the NDIS. According to the NDIA, this new approach is intended to respond to community feedback that the pace and volume of changes have been overwhelming and have not allowed enough space for genuine collaboration.

From April 2025, the NDIA will focus on four priority co-design working groups and pause other groups to prioritise these first steps.

This reset comes after strong feedback from the disability community that the pace and volume of change have been overwhelming, with not enough space for genuine collaboration. While the NDIA says this is a step in the right direction, Every Australian Counts (EAC) will continue to push for strong, meaningful engagement – starting with a call for a pilot phase to ensure the new planning framework is safe, fair and equitable.

What’s Changing?

The NDIA has stated that three existing co-design working groups – Integrity, Home and Living, and Workforce Capability – will be paused for the rest of the year. The four other co-design working groups will continue, areas the NDIA has identified as most urgent, due to the Government’s deadline for starting new framework plans on 1st September 2025.  The remaining groups are:

• Navigation – shaping the role of NDIS Navigators as part of the new planning system.
• Assessments and Budgeting – looking at support needs assessments and how budgets will be set.
• Participant Safeguarding – improving safeguards and decision-making processes.
• Participant Pathway Experience – mapping the participant journey through the new planning framework.

EAC will remain the co-chair of the Participant Pathway Experience working group.  These groups will not just give advice on design – they will also help identify who else should be at the table, including people with disability, families, advocates, and subject matter experts.  People with disability, carer, providers and other advisory groups to the NDIA will also be consulted on the reforms.

Every Australian Counts supports broad, inclusive engagement and is encouraging the NDIA to listen to the full diversity of experiences in the disability community.  We know that no one group can speak for everyone. That’s why we are advocating for the NDIA to cast the net wide – to listen to the full diversity of people with disability, families, and professionals who understand what good support looks like.

When Will the Changes Happen?

The NDIA has indicated that the rollout will be staged over five years:

• 1st September 2025 – new framework plans with the new support needs assessments deciding funding budgets, and flexible and stated supports will start for a small number of participants.
• Mid-2026 – More people will begin to move to new framework plans in more locations.
• Mid-2027 – The new access process and access request form will start to roll out.
• Mid-2031 – The NDIA expects full transition to the new planning framework should be finished.

The NDIA says this approach will allow time to test and improve the system before it reaches all participants.

How Else will the NDIA Engage?

The NDIA has outlined additional ways it plans to involve the community, including:

• Participant Focus Groups (join Participant First to register your interest)
• Surveys and online engagement
• Workshops combining multiple co-design groups
• Disability Representative and Carer Organisations (DRCO) and Independent Advisory Council (IAC) workshops
• Expert roundtables
• NDIA Reference and Advisory Groups
• DRCO-led engagement with members and networks
• State and territory-based sessions and community events

While these opportunities are welcome, EAC stresses that they must be inclusive, accessible, and built on trust. People with disability have repeatedly said they’re tired of being consulted without seeing real action.

What You Can Do

• Want to be involved? Join Participant First
  The NDIA’s Participant First program is one of the main ways to hear about upcoming consultations, workshops, and surveys. If you’re not already signed up, it’s a good way to make sure you’re invited to participate.
• Share your story with Every Australian Counts
  Your lived experience helps us advocate for a better, fairer NDIS. We use these stories to show what’s working – and what isn’t. We will continue to host regular community forums to hear from our community, and keep you informed of what’s happening. You can submit your stories via our NDIS Priorities survey, or email  
• Stay informed with Every Australian Counts
  We’ll continue to keep you updated on changes to the NDIS and new opportunities to get involved. Sign up to the Every Australian mailing list here.

Our Message to the NDIA

We welcome the NDIA’s acknowledgment that its approach to co-design needed a reset. But this must not be a box-ticking exercise or simply a way to manage internal workloads.

Every Australian Counts is calling for:

• Genuine consultation with individuals, not just organisations

• Co-design processes that reflect the diversity of the disability community

• A real commitment to listening – and acting – on what people say

The NDIS was built on the promise of choice, control, and dignity. This reset is an opportunity to return to those values. Whether that happens will depend on what the NDIA does next.