NDIS Commissioner and Associate Commissioner discuss Budget; regulatory changes for SIL and platform providers; Government introduces Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill ...

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In this month's edition

• Message from the Commissioner and Associate Commissioner
• Government introduces Securing the NDIS for Future Generations Bill to Parliament
• Update: regulatory changes for SIL and NDIS digital platform providers
• NDIS Commission refreshes Sector Consultation Forum
• New Code of Conduct video – privacy
• New practice guide on behaviour support assessment now available
• New website launched to reduce everyday harm

Welcome to the May edition of our monthly newsletter.

On 12 May, the Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the Federal Budget. The Budget represents good news for the NDIS Commission.

The Government will allocate the following over 4 years from 2026–27:

• $182.6 million (and $46.1 million per year ongoing) to introduce mandatory registration of high risk NDIS providers from 1 July 2027
• $21.7 million (and $5.8 million ongoing) to support our regulatory and compliance activities.

This increased investment in the NDIS Commission is recognition of the important role we play in making the NDIS sustainable, and in improving the quality and safety of services.

The Commission will also receive ongoing annual funding to support our contribution to the Fraud Fusion Taskforce, helping us to address the financial exploitation of participants and target serious and organised criminal elements that defraud the NDIS.

Meanwhile, as highlighted in the April edition, the NDIS Commission is delivering its 2026 Regulatory Reform Program. We aim to improve quality and safety in Supported Independent Living (SIL) and platform provider NDIS supports and services. The reforms will ensure participants receive progressively higher standards of NDIS supports and services.

From 1 July 2026, we will introduce:

• mandatory registration for SIL providers and platform providers
• new NDIS Practice Standards for SIL supports and services. 

There will also be arrangements to support existing SIL and platform providers with the transition. More detail about our implementation timeline and the work underway to prepare for the reform is included in our Regulatory Reform Roadmap and Reform Pathway.

We know many of our readers are registered providers, so you might also be interested to know that consultation will soon take place on differentiated pricing for registered and unregistered providers delivering social, civic and community participation, capacity-building daily activities, and assisted daily living. It’s early days, but there’s some more information on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

You might have noticed we’ve updated the name of this newsletter. That's because the content is relevant not only to providers, but also to workers, participants and other people in the disability sector.

Finally, a friendly reminder to report incidents to the NDIS Commission in a timely manner. For more information about Reportable Incidents and your reporting obligations visit, the Reportable Incidents page of our website.

Remember you can forward this to anyone you know who would benefit from it and encourage them to sign up online.

Louise Glanville and Natalie Wade
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner and Associate Commissioner 

Following on from Budget, the Government has introduced to Parliament the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill. If passed, the legislation will make changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013.

Changes include:

• tighter criteria for unscheduled plan reassessments. Participants will still be able to request unscheduled reassessments when there have been significant and ongoing changes to support needs. Only participants, plan nominees or guardians will be able to request unscheduled reassessments.
• participants and providers to have new requirements to retain records relating to NDIS claims.
• the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) will have stronger compliance, enforcement and information-gathering powers to tackle fraud and non-compliance and respond faster to suspicious behaviour.
• the Minister for Disability and the NDIS will become the decision-maker on NDIS pricing.

More information

You can find more information on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website:

• Fact sheet
• Frequently asked questions 

The website also has information about the Government’s changes to the NDIS:

• Securing the NDIS for future generations’ page
• Timeline.

Key takeaway

Recently introduced legislation will:

• clarify eligibility and the supports the NDIS funds 
• address fraud within the NDIS 
• update governance and administrative arrangements.

As mentioned in the April edition, from 1 July 2026, we will introduce:

• mandatory registration for Supported Independent Living (SIL) providers
• mandatory registration for NDIS digital platform providers
• new NDIS Practice Standards for SIL supports and services.

The Reform Hub provides all the latest information and updates on what you need to do as a SIL or NDIS digital platform provider, or what you need to know as a participant who receives these NDIS services. The latest resources available on the Reform Hub include:

• new SIL Practice Standards
• provider transition pathway diagrams charting the journey of mandatory NDIS registration for SIL providers and NDIS digital platform providers
• updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) detailing transition requirements for mandatory registration of SIL and NDIS digital platform providers.

These reforms support improved quality, consistency and safeguarding, and promote the delivery of participant-centred rights-based supports across the NDIS. They strengthen oversight and regulation of SIL and platform providers in response to emerging and longstanding quality, safety and integrity issues.

More detail about our implementation timeline and the work underway to prepare for the reform is included in our Regulatory Reform Roadmap and Reform Pathway.

What happens next

We will continue to share updates as we approach 1 July 2026. These will include updates on transitional arrangements and what actions are required of SIL and platform providers who currently deliver or would like to deliver these services in the NDIS.

We will be running workshops in June for interested providers to learn about the process for registering. You can register your interest and we will be in contact when the sessions are scheduled.

Key takeaway

We have published some useful resources on our Reform Hub ahead of mandatory registration for SIL and platform providers, which will take place from 1 July 2026.

The NDIS Commission has refreshed its Sector Consultation Forum to strengthen engagement on how the Commission regulates NDIS supports and services.

The Forum provides advice to the Commission’s leadership on a range of matters. This advice includes practical insight from across the disability sector about how NDIS services are delivered. It helps inform decisions to improve quality, safeguard participants and support compliance.

Established under the NDIS Act, the Forum helps us to understand what is working well, where risks are emerging, and how regulatory requirements operate in practice.

The Forum operates alongside the Commission’s refreshed Advisory Council, whose members were announced on 2 April. The Advisory Council provides strategic advice grounded in the lived experience of people with disability.

While the Advisory Council amplifies the voices of people with disability, the Sector Consultation Forum provides system wide insight from organisations involved in delivering and supporting NDIS services.

The Forum includes 20 members, appointed for terms of up to 24 months. It represents a diverse range of experience across the disability sector, including perspectives from regional, rural and remote communities.

Member listing and more information about the consultative forums are available on the NDIS Commission website.

Key takeaway

The NDIS Commission has refreshed its Sector Consultation Forum, which provides advice to the Commission’s leadership on a range of matters.

The NDIS Commission has released a new short video that's part of an educational series that will help providers better understand the NDIS Code of Conduct. It covers privacy – one of 8 elements under the Code.

Respecting the privacy of NDIS participants isn’t just about protecting their personal and confidential information. Privacy includes respecting a participant’s personal boundaries and ensuring supports and services are delivered in a way that maintains their dignity. 

NDIS providers should seek to understand and document the privacy needs and preferences of people with disability and deliver supports and services in a way that considers a participant’s choices, cultural identity and personal privacy needs.

This involves having policies, procedures, resources and training in place to prevent participants from feeling unsafe during the delivery of services.

The video shows what this element means for providers through a real-world scenario that illustrates how the Code works in practice and emphasises that it's essential for you to meet your obligations under the Code of Conduct.

Visit the Code of Conduct videos web page to watch the series.

Key takeaway

Please take a moment to watch a new short video on the Code of Conduct element – privacy.

The NDIS Commission has published a new practice guide on behaviour support assessment, including functional behaviour assessment (FBA). The guide is for specialist behaviour support providers and NDIS behaviour support practitioners.

Behaviour support assessments are the foundation for developing and reviewing comprehensive behaviour support plans and for reducing and eliminating regulated restrictive practices.

High-quality behaviour support plans rely on thorough, well-informed assessments to ensure strategies are evidence-based, effective and responsive to the person’s needs.

The guide outlines expectations for undertaking behaviour support assessment, including FBA, to help specialist behaviour support providers and NDIS practitioners:

• understand what is expected under the NDIS Act and Rules
• align their practice with quality standards
• strengthen assessment practice to improve participant outcomes.

Key takeaway

The NDIS Commission has published a new practice guide on behaviour support assessment, including functional behaviour assessment (FBA).

We are proud to support the research project Working together to prevent and repair everyday harm to people with disability as community research partners.

This research is about the small, often subtle moments in support relationships that can leave people with disability feeling unheard, disrespected or hurt. These everyday interactions often accumulate over time and have a real impact on people’s wellbeing and sense of safety.

The project has created a website where you can find information, training materials, videos, tools and guidance designed to support people in working together.

Preventing everyday harm is a shared responsibility. People with disability, support workers, families, communities, professionals and providers all play a role.

Providers and workers can support prevention and addressing everyday harm by:

• creating safe ways to share experiences of harm
• finding and fixing problems early
• including people with disability in decision-making
• making sure good practices happen all the time
• supporting staff through training and reflection.

Providers and leaders can use the policy and practice guide to make support safer across their organisation.

Key takeaway

The everydayharm.org.au website provides useful information, training materials, videos, tools and guidance designed to help providers, workers and participants cooperate to reduce harm.

Resources for providers

Our website has a range of resources to support you deliver safe and quality services and comply with your registration:

• Provider registration
• Worker resources 
• NDIS Code of Conduct
• Worker screening 
• NDIS Practice Standards
• Reportable incidents
• Incident management
• Workforce Capability Framework

Resources for behaviour support practitioners

• Understanding behaviour support and restrictive practices – for providers
• Rules for behaviour support and restrictive practices