NDIS Bill Update — The Deal, the Interim Report, and What Comes Next

What happened on 23 June — and what it means for August

Disclaimer: This article reflects publicly available information as at 28 June 2026. The NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 has not been passed into law. This article is for general information only and does not constitute disability support, legal, or financial advice.

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Three articles ago we covered what the Senate hearings revealed. Two articles ago we covered the political limbo and the first two delays to the inquiry report. This week, the situation moved — not resolved, but moved.

On 23 June 2026, the Albanese government struck a deal with the Greens that produced three outcomes simultaneously: an eight-week extension to the NDIS Senate inquiry, an interim report from the committee, and a set of agreed amendments to the NDIS bill. This article explains what each of those means, and what the path forward looks like from here.

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The Deal: Eight Weeks More — at a Price

The government and the Greens reached an agreement on 23 June in which the Greens would support the government's separate tax reform legislation through the Senate, in exchange for an eight-week extension to the NDIS inquiry.

The inquiry's final report — originally due 16 June, then 19 June, then 23 June — is now due on 14 August 2026.

As part of the agreement, the government also accepted a number of amendments to the NDIS bill, including limits on the ministerial power to reduce funding across entire categories of supports, and greater transparency requirements around automated decision-making.

The Greens, for their part, have stated clearly that despite negotiating these amendments, they will still oppose the bill in its current form. Their concern is not with any single provision but with the overall scale and pace of change — their stated position is that no participant should be removed from the scheme until replacement supports are fully implemented, independently evaluated, and proven effective.

The government has acknowledged the eight-week extension will cost some savings, though it revised its earlier estimate downward — describing the cost as "a few hundred million dollars" rather than the $17 billion cited for a full year's delay.

George Taleporos, chair of advocacy group Every Australian Counts, described the extension as "better late than never," while noting the process had been inadequate from the outset.

"It should never have taken this much pressure to get more time. Giving people with disability and our families just two weeks to respond to a bill that would reshape the future of the NDIS was ridiculous and disrespectful."

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The Interim Report: What the Committee Found

The Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee — chaired by Labor senators — tabled its interim report on 23 June. Its core recommendation is that the bill should proceed, but with significant conditions attached.

The committee's principal recommendations:

1. A public roadmap. The government must table a detailed roadmap with specific timelines and consultation requirements for all reforms in the bill and the broader NDIS changes announced in the 2026–27 budget. This requirement directly addresses the concern — heard consistently across all 4,000-plus submissions — that the pace of reform is being driven by budget timelines rather than readiness.

2. Clarification of the permanence test. The Explanatory Memorandum must be amended to clarify precisely how the new definition of permanent and significant disability will be applied — including how individual choice and autonomy will be respected in that assessment.

3. Safeguards for automated decision-making. The government must clearly document what safeguards will govern the use of computer-assisted decision-making within the NDIA, and what review pathways will be available to participants when automated systems produce decisions they wish to challenge.

4. Protection of community participation funding. Clarification is required that social, civic, and community participation supports and capacity building will not be "unfairly impacted" — a direct response to evidence that the proposed 50 per cent cut to these budgets poses safety risks for participants, particularly women.

5. State and territory accountability. The report urges state and territory governments to fulfil their funding commitments under the National Cabinet agreement, including the $10 billion investment in foundational supports.

Coalition senators did not make specific recommendations but said more transparency was needed, particularly around how the safety and welfare of people affected by the changes would be ensured.

Greens and independent senator David Pocock filed dissenting comments maintaining concerns about ministerial powers, automated decision-making, and disproportionate impacts on women.

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What Advocacy Groups Are Saying

The response from the disability sector has been consistent: the extension and amendments are better than nothing, but they do not resolve the fundamental concerns about the bill's impact.

Women With Disabilities Australia chief executive Sophie Cusworth welcomed the extension but said it must lead to "genuine consultation" with people with disability — not simply minor adjustments.

"The central issue is whether these reforms will make it harder for people with disability to access the supports they need to live safely and independently. Significant cuts to the NDIS and participants' supports will never be safe policy unless there are strong, accessible and properly funded alternatives in place."

Australian Autism Alliance co-chair Jenny Karavolos described the extended timeline as the right approach.

"It is better to spend another eight weeks getting reform right, than spend the next decade fixing avoidable mistakes. The next eight weeks should not simply be about reviewing legislation; they should be about demonstrating that the systems people will rely upon are genuinely ready."

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A New Technical Advisory Group

One development that received less attention than the deal itself but matters significantly: NDIS Minister McAllister announced that a technical advisory group will be established to provide advice on the specific criteria that should be used to assess "permanent and significant disability" under the new eligibility framework.

This group is expected to consult with the disability community and states and territories before any criteria are finalised. The criteria it recommends will directly determine who qualifies for the NDIS from 1 January 2028, the date the government has set in its published reform timeline for the new eligibility boundary to apply to new applicants.

For participants, carers, and allied health professionals, the work of this group is worth watching. The assessment criteria it develops — and the consultation process through which it develops them — will be among the most consequential details of the entire reform. How "permanent and significant" is defined, and what functional capacity evidence will be required to demonstrate it, shapes everything.

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New NDIA Board Members

Separately from the legislative process, the government announced new and reappointed members to the NDIA Board this week.

Three new appointees — Nigel Ray PSM, Lois Boswell, and Jane Spring — bring backgrounds in disability advocacy, public administration, and human services. Three existing members — Dr Graeme Innes AM, Dr Richard Fejo, and Estelle Pearson — were reappointed for additional three-year terms.

The government described the appointments as reflecting a commitment to "strong, effective governance" during a period of significant institutional change. The NDIA Board is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction, governance, and performance of the scheme.

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What the August Timeline Looks Like

The eight weeks between now and the August report give the government time to work through the questions the interim report identified — the roadmap, the permanence criteria, the automated decision-making safeguards, and the relationship with state and territory governments. Whether that time is used for genuine consultation or primarily for political positioning is something only the August report will fully reveal.

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What This Means for Participants Right Now

Your current plan is not affected. Nothing in the proposed legislation has passed. Your existing plan remains valid until your next scheduled review.

The I-CAN v6 framework starts 1 April 2027. This is confirmed and separate from the eligibility bill. Participants whose plan reviews fall after April 2027 will encounter the new framework — and preparation for that process is the most valuable thing you can do right now, regardless of how the legislative negotiations play out.

The technical advisory group matters. If you are a participant or family member with views on what "permanent and significant disability" should mean in practice — how it should be assessed, what evidence should be required, and what protections should exist for people with fluctuating or complex conditions — the consultation process this group undertakes will be the time to engage.

Preparation remains your strongest tool. The direction of the NDIS is consistent across all legislative scenarios: toward standardised functional capacity assessments, toward clear and specific documentation of support needs, and toward the I-CAN v6 framework. Understanding the 12 I-CAN domains and being able to describe how your disability affects your daily life clearly and specifically gives you the strongest possible foundation for any future assessment.

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Sources: ABC News (23 June 2026), indaily SA (23 June 2026), Mirage News (June 2026), Greek Herald (June 2026), Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee Interim Report — NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 (aph.gov.au, 23 June 2026), NDIA Board announcement via health.gov.au (June 2026). For the most current information, visit ndis.gov.au and aph.gov.au.