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Disability community says NDIS 'fighting the wrong battles' over funding plans

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A 28-year-old woman with spinal muscular atrophy says her National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding plan limits her to seven hours of support worker assistance daily.
  • She has appealed her NDIS plan, which she argues leaves her without necessary help for hours, forcing her to alter basic daily routines like drinking water and eating.
  • Data shows the NDIS spent $60 million on external lawyers last year, with about 65-73% of appeals resulting in the agency's decision being overturned.

Chantel Moody, a 28-year-old administrative assistant living with spinal muscular atrophy, describes her daily life as a meticulous plan dictated by her limited National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding. Her current plan allocates only around seven hours of support worker assistance per day, a stark contrast to her needs as someone with a progressive condition that affects all her muscles.

I am highly disabled. I've got no movement in my arm … I can barely scratch my nose. I need assistance with everything.

— Chantel MoodyDescribing her level of disability and need for assistance.

"I am highly disabled," Ms. Moody stated, explaining her significant reliance on assistance for basic tasks. "I've got no movement in my arm… I can barely scratch my nose. I need assistance with everything." The rejection of her request for more support worker hours has left her without help for extended periods, forcing her to make difficult choices about essential needs. "So, I'm not going to drink this much water now because I don't want to have to go to the toilet," she explained, illustrating the impact on her daily routines.

So, I'm not going to drink this much water now because I don't want to have to go to the toilet.

— Chantel MoodyExplaining how limited support hours impact her daily routines.

Ms. Moody has initiated an appeal of her NDIS plan at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), a process she described as an "ongoing battle." Her case highlights a broader issue within the NDIS, where participants frequently seek more support for fundamental daily activities such as showering and getting out of bed. Matilda Alexander, chief executive of Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion (QAI), noted the immense demand for their support services, with their books filling up months in advance for participants navigating the tribunal process.

It has been an ongoing battle with NDIS.

— Chantel MoodyDescribing her experience appealing her NDIS plan.

Compounding these participant struggles, data reveals the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) spent $60 million on external lawyers in the last financial year to contest decisions at the tribunal. Recent figures show that between 65% and 73% of these cases result in the NDIA's initial decision being overturned. "They're fighting the wrong battles," Ms. Alexander commented, urging the agency to redirect these funds towards making more appropriate decisions from the outset rather than contesting them on appeal.

They're fighting the wrong battles.

— Matilda AlexanderCommenting on the NDIS agency's spending on legal battles versus direct support.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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