National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013

3. Creates your support plan

Once you're a participant, the NDIS works with you to create a plan listing what supports you'll receive and how they'll be funded. You have a say in what goes into this plan. The law emphasises choice and control — you should be treated as capable of making your own decisions.

4. Defines what supports can be funded

Not everything can be funded through the NDIS. The government sets rules about what counts as an "NDIS support." Some things are explicitly excluded — for example, sexual services, alcohol, or illegal drugs.

5. Protects participants from harm

The law creates the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — an independent watchdog that:

• Registers and oversees support providers
• Handles complaints about providers
• Runs worker screening checks (background checks on people working with NDIS participants)
• Sets quality and safety standards providers must meet
• Can ban providers or workers who pose a risk

6. Creates the NDIS Agency

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is the government body that runs the NDIS day-to-day — processing applications, preparing plans, and funding supports.

7. Handles compensation situations

If you receive a compensation or damages payment (e.g., from a personal injury claim) that covers the same costs as your NDIS supports, there are rules about how that interacts with your NDIS funding — the scheme won't double-pay.

8. Gives you rights when decisions go wrong

If the NDIA makes a decision you disagree with (e.g., rejecting your application or changing your plan), you have the right to request a review.

Key principles the law requires everyone to follow

• People with disability have the same rights as all Australians
• Choice and control must be maximised — you should be involved in decisions about your life
• Your cultural background, gender identity, and personal relationships must be respected
• For children, their best interests are paramount
• The scheme must remain financially sustainable for future generations
• People with disability should be involved in co-designing the scheme

Why does it matter?

This is one of the most significant social reforms in Australia's history. The NDIS replaced a fragmented, inconsistent patchwork of state-based disability services with a single national entitlement system. It affects over 600,000 Australians and their families, and involves tens of billions of dollars in annual government spending.