Beyond the NDIS: What Role Will State Services Play for People with Disability?

TL;DR: The NDIS was never designed to be the sole provider of disability support, but state and territory governments largely withdrew from their responsibilities after its introduction, creating significant gaps. Foundational supports, covering essential areas like early intervention and community access for all people with disability, are crucial to fill these gaps, but their rollout is currently delayed, leaving many without vital services.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) represents a monumental shift in how disability supports are funded in Australia. However, a common misconception is that the NDIS covers all disability-related needs for all Australians with disability. This is not, and never was, the case. As the NDIS undergoes significant reforms, including tighter access and reduced supports for some participants, the spotlight is increasingly turning to the critical question of what role state and territory services will play in ensuring no one is left behind. Understanding this evolving landscape is crucial for effective advocacy and ensuring comprehensive support for everyone living with disability in Australia. See our complete ndis-scheme-reforms-and-their-impact guide for more details on current scheme changes.

Why Was the NDIS Never Intended as the Sole Provider of Disability Support?

The NDIS was strategically designed as a national, individualized funding scheme specifically for eligible Australians with a permanent and significant disability, aimed at providing reasonable and necessary supports to increase their social and economic participation. This framework explicitly acknowledged that a broader ecosystem of services would still be necessary, encompassing those provided universally by states and territories, such as health, education, transport, and justice. The NDIS was intended to supplement, not replace, these existing mainstream services. The core idea was that specialized, individualized disability supports would be managed by the NDIS, while a wide array of broader, foundational services accessible to the entire community, including people with disability, would remain under state and territory responsibility. This division of responsibility was crucial for the scheme's financial sustainability and its ability to focus on its core mission without overstretching its scope.

How Did State and Territory Governments Withdraw from Disability Service Funding?

Following the introduction of the NDIS, many state and territory governments gradually scaled back or entirely divested from their existing disability services, leading to a significant vacuum in support provision. This withdrawal occurred under the assumption that the NDIS would pick up all previous responsibilities, often overlooking the distinction between individualized NDIS supports and broader, community-wide services. As states redirected their disability funding contributions into the NDIS, the infrastructure and direct provision of services they once managed—such as community access programs, peer support networks, and state-specific early intervention initiatives for those ineligible for the NDIS—eroded. This left countless people with disability who were either not eligible for the NDIS, or whose needs fell outside the NDIS's "reasonable and necessary" criteria, without access to essential local supports. The perceived financial relief for states, now contributing to a national scheme rather than managing all services directly, inadvertently created systemic gaps that have had profound consequences for vulnerable Australians.

What Are Foundational Supports, and Why Are They Crucial Now?

Foundational supports are non-NDIS funded services designed to provide essential assistance for all people with disability, regardless of their NDIS eligibility, covering areas vital for participation and wellbeing. These services include universal access programs, disability peer support networks, early intervention programs for children who may not meet NDIS criteria, mental health support, and other community-based initiatives. They are crucial because the NDIS, by design, serves a specific cohort with significant and permanent disabilities, leaving millions of Australians with disability outside its scope. With the NDIS tightening access and reducing supports, foundational services are more vital than ever to ensure that people with disability are not left isolated or without essential community-level assistance. Their proper funding and co-design are essential to create an inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, complementing rather than duplicating the NDIS.

What Is the Impact of Delayed Foundational Supports on People with Disability?

The delay in implementing and adequately funding foundational supports by state and territory governments is creating a deepening crisis for people with disability across Australia. Without these essential services, individuals who are ineligible for the NDIS or whose existing NDIS plans don't cover specific community-level needs are being left without crucial assistance. This neglect forces many into crisis situations, placing immense additional strain on families and unpaid carers, who often become the sole providers of support. The absence of foundational services also pushes more people to rely on already overstretched health and emergency services, as preventative and early intervention supports are simply unavailable. For example, in some states, access to mental health support tailored for people with disability or community-based autism services has drastically declined, leading to severe unmet needs and a reduction in overall quality of life. This situation underscores a systemic failure that abandons many thousands of people who require support to live full and inclusive lives.

How Can We Advocate for Stronger State Disability Services?

Advocating for stronger state disability services requires a unified and persistent effort from individuals, families, and disability organisations to hold governments accountable. Firstly, engaging with state and territory political representatives, both locally and at the ministerial level, is paramount to express concerns about the lack of foundational supports and demand concrete commitments for their funding and implementation. Sharing personal stories about the impact of service gaps can be incredibly powerful. Secondly, supporting and joining advocacy groups like People with Disability Australia (PWDA) strengthens the collective voice, enabling organised campaigns and policy lobbying. These organisations are actively calling on governments to stop delaying and to properly fund co-designed foundational supports. Thirdly, participating in public consultations, surveys, and community forums allows for direct input into policy development. Finally, using social media and local media to raise awareness and pressure governments can amplify the message, ensuring that the issue of state responsibility for disability services remains a prominent topic in public discourse. Without sustained 'people power', the critical gaps in disability service provision will continue to widen.

Key Takeaways

• The NDIS was designed to provide individualised supports and was never intended to replace all state-funded mainstream or foundational disability services.
• State and territory governments have largely withdrawn from their historical responsibility for broader disability services, leading to significant gaps, especially for those not NDIS-eligible.
• Foundational supports are crucial community-level services (e.g., peer support, early intervention, mental health) that states must fund to ensure all people with disability have access to essential assistance.
• The ongoing delay in implementing these foundational supports is causing significant distress, placing burdens on families, and pushing individuals into crisis.
• Active advocacy through political engagement, supporting disability organisations, and raising public awareness is vital to pressure states into fulfilling their responsibilities for comprehensive disability support.