Disability advocates have urged the government to “come clean” about the details of recently announced changes to the way National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants over the age of 16 will have their support needs assessed. 

Until now, NDIS participants have largely relied on reports written by health professionals to request certain levels of funding. 

However, from mid-2026, these reports will increasingly be replaced by interviews lasting between one and three hours conducted by disability agency staff, NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister announced in late September. 

McAllister said the new method “will be fairer, more consistent and easier to navigate for participants”.

“We want providers and therapists to be freed up to spend time delivering supports to participants, not writing reports,” she told SBS News.