Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Behind every policy decision, there are real people. When the NDIS was created, it carried a promise that every Australian with disability, no matter their postcode, would be supported with dignity, fairness and opportunity. For those in regional, rural and remote communities, that promise was meant to close the gap, ensuring access to quality care, even hundreds of kilometres from the nearest major city. But that promise has now been broken. Without consultation, the NDIA pushed through changes in its annual pricing review. Hidden deep within recommendation 12 was a devastating cut that unduly punishes regional Australians. Providers have been left scrambling, unsure if they can continue travelling to the communities that rely on them. Participants are frightened, wondering if the care they have depended on for years will suddenly disappear.

These changes are not a simple policy tweak; they are the difference between a child receiving life-changing therapy or going without. They are the difference between a provider staying in the region and a provider walking away. For many residents in rural communities, the nearest physiotherapist is hours away, making regular therapy all but impossible without providers travelling long distances to deliver care. The NDIA might call the changes 'efficiency', but let's call them what they are: a direct hit on regional Australians living with disability. Yes, there are rorts in the system, and they must be addressed. No-one disputes that. But, instead of targeting the culprits, Labor has swung the axe at the providers who are doing the right thing, the ones who drive thousands of kilometres and invest time and money to reach those left behind and ensure families and participants aren't forgotten—but that is already happening.

My constituent Susan Blackborough was diagnosed with MS at just 12 years old. Susan did not let her disease define her. She was active and independent and once ran a successful business. But, as her disease progressed, she lost her independence and now lives with profound disability. Susan told me that some days she's unable to get out of bed without assistance and that she has lost her ability to walk. But with the help of her physiotherapist, Greg, Susan has slowly regained some strength and independence. Susan's goal is to walk again. With Greg's support, she has gone from dangerous falls and being bedbound to being able to do weight-bearing exercises safely. She said, if she doesn't have access to physio, her progress stops. Susan has a message for this government: 'Rural Australians are just as important as people in the cities. Disabled people already have enough on their plates. If they live rural and can't access these supports, sometimes life just isn't worth living.' Susan's words should haunt every member of this House.

Her physiotherapist, Greg Muller, also spoke to me about the impact of these cuts. His mobile practice was built to reach the people who often get left behind. They deliberately run lean, check every code and do everything possible to keep services viable, but there's only so much they can do. Greg told me that there are people like Susan who simply can't leave their homes. These people deserve the same access to quality care as everyone else. But what the government is saying is 'you just have to take what you can get'. Providers in regional and remote areas already face significant challenges. They drive hundreds of kilometres, often in difficult conditions, paying higher costs for fuel and vehicle maintenance. These policy changes make it financially unsustainable for them to continue serving the people who rely on them. The government's assumption that providers can simply adapt ignores the realities of delivering care in the bush.

And let us not forget the personal toll. Families are left carrying more responsibility when support services are cut. Carers must fill the gaps, sacrificing their own health and wellbeing. Children miss out on therapy that could be life changing. Adults lose independence they have fought so hard to gain. This is not just policy; it is real life, and it is being put at risk by decisions made in offices far from the regions they affect. These changes send a chilling message to all Australians living outside major cities that your postcode determines the quality of care you receive and that your progress, your independence and your dignity are negotiable.

I am calling on the government to defer these changes for at least three months. This time must be used to consult properly with providers, participants and communities. The government must plan how service delivery will be maintained and explain how community based providers are expected to adapt without leaving vulnerable Australians high and dry.

It's not too late for the Australian government to put people first. It's not too late to listen to Susan; her physio, Greg; and every regional Australian who depends on the NDIS for dignity, independence and hope.

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