Disability groups join states in surprise at plan to divert children with autism from NDIS

<p>Minister’s announcement ‘has created further uncertainty’, advocates say and they are ‘collectively disappointed’ by the lack of engagement</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/aug/22/australia-news-live-penny-wong-gaza-israel-netanyahu-anthony-albanese-childcare-safety-education-database-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>Disability representative groups say they are “collectively disappointed” after being blindsided by the Albanese government’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/20/children-with-autism-to-be-diverted-off-ndis-under-2bn-program-announced-by-albanese-government">plans to divert children with mild to moderate developmental delays</a> or autism from the NDIS.</p><p>Ten of Australia’s biggest disability groups have urged the new NDIS minister, Mark Butler, to commit to co-designing a new program for mild-to-moderately impaired children in a joint statement on Thursday evening.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/22/ndis-children-autism-disability-groups">Continue reading...</a>