Intellectual Disability Reference Group meeting bulletin, 22-23 April 2026
The Intellectual Disability Reference Group met in Adelaide and online on 22-23 April 2026. At the meeting, they discussed:
What they have heard in their communities
The Agency’s Support Needs Assessments update
The IAC’s Advice update
Principal Member Leah van Poppel led the meeting.
What Members have heard in their communities
Members shared how participants are struggling to find support workers. Participants say there are support workers who are not arriving on time or at all, and that the quality of service is inconsistent. Participants aren’t connecting with as many support workers who understand and get along with them.
Members reported participants are feeling the impacts of increasing fuel costs. Members asked what the NDIA is doing to help participants with these costs, as fuel costs have a big impact on the lives of participants in rural, regional, and remote areas. Members feel that that the Agency should raise travel allowances to absorb the recent increase in fuel costs.
Participants are concerned about plan reductions, especially funding for social and community participation.
Members shared how rural and regional participants are finding it challenging to travel, because of a lack of public transport.
Participants have reported that they are agreeing to the Agency rolling over their plans, because they are afraid of losing their funding if they have a plan review. Members feel this is not meeting the needs of people with disability.
Members asked the Agency improve communications about plan reviews. Some participants’ families are working full time to manage their NDIS participation. They feel the Agency needs to make sure participants can understand what is involved, especially about modified living arrangements. The Agency noted it has started a trial program with participants and the Agency’s new assessors.
Members shared community concerns with some NDIS service providers saying participants show ‘behaviours of concern’. Support workers are making internal reports on this topic, with the negative implications following participants without them realising, or with their consent.
The Agency told Members that it is developing Easy Read versions of participant plans. The Agency will spend the time with participants and the community to develop plans which all participants would understand. The Agency will also work with disability sector organisations to test these plans.
Support Needs Assessment update
The Agency updated Members on Support Needs Assessments.
IAC Advice update
Members discussed and provided input into the IAC’s draft advice on ‘Justice’ and ‘Home and Living’.
More information on the Reference Group
The Intellectual Disability Reference Group will next meet from 18-19 August 2026 online and in Perth. Find out more about IAC and Reference Group meetings and bulletins at the IAC website.
Information in Easy Read
The IAC publishes an Easy Read version of this bulletin. This is part of its commitment to accessibility.