Representatives from The Disability Trust recently appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme as part of the Committee’s inquiry into NDIS integrity and governance.
Deputy Group CEO Tarryn Bracken and Group Chief People Officer Rebecca Coombes attended the Parliamentary hearing in Sydney on Friday 15 May, speaking to key themes raised in The Disability Trust Group’s formal submission to the inquiry.
Submitted on behalf of The Disability Trust Group — including The Disability Trust, ermha365, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, embarc employment and Bedford — the submission outlines the growing pressures impacting participant safety, provider sustainability and scheme integrity across the disability sector.
The submission argues that integrity, sustainability and participant safeguarding cannot be separated, highlighting concerns that persistent underfunding, policy instability and increasing compliance demands are creating unsafe conditions for participants and significant pressure on registered providers.
It also outlines concerns relating to:
- fraud and sharp practices within parts of the unregistered market
- safeguarding risks for vulnerable participants
- workforce and regulatory pressures on registered providers
- under-recognition of support coordination as a key integrity safeguard
- the need for stronger alignment between NDIS planning decisions, safeguarding obligations and work health and safety requirements.
The submission calls for practical reforms that strengthen participant safeguards, support quality registered providers and recognise the true cost of delivering safe, high-quality disability supports. Key recommendations include:
- stronger incentives for registration and quality governance
- reform to pricing and funding structures
- improved safeguarding and oversight mechanisms
- better recognition of support coordination and complex service delivery
- stronger alignment between planning, risk management and legal obligations.
The Disability Trust Group supports more than 5,000 people across Australia through disability, psychosocial, employment and community services and is one of the country’s largest providers of supported employment.
View The Disability Trust Group’s submission here.
View all submissions to the inquiry via the Australian Parliament website:
Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS – Inquiry Submissions
The Disability Trust welcomes opportunities to contribute constructively to national conversations that strengthen participant safety, improve accountability and support a sustainable future for the NDIS.
