Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to share one of my constituents' stories:

'One chapter of my life will never leave me: the years my family spent fighting for our son, Felix. He was born with a rare genetic disorder, Coats disease. At six months old he was diagnosed blind in one eye. Every scan looked like something worse, retinal blastoma. For years we lived in fear of hearing the word 'cancer'. From that day until he turned four, our lives revolved around hospitals, tests and sleepless nights.

'The NDIS offered nothing. Medicare barely covered his care, and private insurance was useless because no private hospital would treat a child so young. We paid thousands out of pocket, juggled bills and made impossible choices. We survived only because my father stepped in when the system would not. When doctors finally removed Felix's eye, it was to save his life. The disease had become so aggressive they feared it might already be cancer.

'When it was over, we thought the worst had passed, but the trauma lingered. Felix still needed support, and still there was none. When we turned to the NDIS, we were told Felix was not disabled enough. It would take nine months to be assessed. After four years of fear and pain, that was the final blow. The system had failed us. Minister Butler, under your watch and those before you, the NDIS has been hollowed out in the name of savings. This isn't efficiency; it's neglect. It's moral failure.'

Unfortunately, Felix's story is not unique. I've heard from countless families across Western Australia facing the same cruelty—denied help, dismissed and left to fight alone. Their stories call for real reform, compassion and a supportive system.