2025-06-17
The Australian Greens are calling on the Albanese Government and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to engage in urgent and meaningful consultation with health professionals and disability support providers following growing concerns over the changes in the NDIS Annual Pricing Review 2024-25.
The changes would see a reduction in the hourly rate for some allied health professionals, a continuation of multi-year price freezes for others, and a reduction in travel rates for all allied health professionals.
The reforms, set to take effect from 1 July 2025, would revise the Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) for the 2025–26 financial year. Concerns have been raised by physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians, speech pathologists, psychologists, support coordinators, plan managers and occupational therapists.
The Greens have raised serious concerns about the impact of the changes on service access, particularly in rural, regional and remote communities, and for participants who rely on in-home, face-to-face supports.
Lines attributed to Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson for Disability Inclusion and the NDIS.
“I am hearing loud and clear from providers across the country - these changes would affect the quality and accessibility of services for NDIS participants.
“With the sector already under enormous pressure from the cost-of-living crisis, a reduction in hourly rates could mean professionals leaving the sector altogether and some organisations being forced to shut their doors.
“Disabled people are being squeezed on all sides. These changes are being proposed at the same time that many are being removed from the NDIS or having their supports cut, with no foundational support system in place to catch them.
“The Greens are calling on the Federal Government to ensure that any changes to NDIS pricing do not undermine access to essential services and supports.
“These decisions cannot be made in a vacuum. We need a transparent, respectful, and evidence-based approach that puts the needs of disabled people first and supports our hardworking allied health professionals and disability support providers."