2026-07-01
Battling to save the NDIS and pointing out the tax flaws in the Federal Budget
By Senator Jordon Steele-John
Fighting for fairness
The last two months have been some of the busiest and most consequential of the parliamentary year.
With the Federal Budget handed down and major reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) before the Senate, much of my focus has been on holding the Government to account and working for people who deserve better than what this government is offering.
The budget is about choices
Every budget reflects a government's priorities, and this year's budget was no different.
Instead of delivering meaningful cost-of-living relief, Labor has chosen to lock in around $33 billion in tax concessions that overwhelmingly benefit wealthy property investors. That money could have been used to provide every renter and mortgage holder in Australia with around $2,200 in direct cost-of-living support.
At a time when families are struggling with rising rents, mortgages, and everyday expenses, Australians deserve a government willing to make different choices.
The more scrutiny the NDIS Bill receives, the worse it looks.
One of the biggest pieces of work over May and June has been scrutinising the Government's proposed changes to the NDIS.
Through Senate processes and orders for the production of documents, I uncovered evidence showing that the impact of these changes is far greater than the Government originally claimed. Current estimates suggest that up to 241,000 disabled people could lose access to the NDIS over the coming years, which is more than the entire population of Hobart.
These aren't just numbers. They represent people who rely on disability supports to live independently, participate in their communities, access education and work, and live with dignity.
Over recent weeks, I travelled to Melbourne and Canberra to hear directly from disabled people, advocates, families, and service providers. The message has been remarkably consistent: this legislation is not ready, it has not been properly co-designed with the disability community, and it risks causing significant harm.
Since the hearings, the Greens and I were able to secure another Senate inquiry into Labor’s damaging NDIS Bill. This enables more time to scrutinise the legislation, more time for disabled people and their families to have their voices heard, and, most importantly, more time to build the community campaign needed to stop these cuts.
Let’s be clear: this bill should not pass.
In addition to the extended inquiry, we were also able to secure some important early improvements to the bill.
We’ve reduced the Minister’s power to make sweeping changes to people’s NDIS plans. Under the changes we’ve secured, the Minister will no longer be able to make broad cuts across entire funding categories such as Daily Activities, Assistive Technology, Transport, Home Modifications, and Consumables.
We’ve also ensured that Support Determinations cannot be used to make blanket cuts to supports that people rely on for daily health needs, attending medical appointments, or getting to work.
And we’ve secured protections to ensure that where a person is required to access treatment before becoming eligible for the NDIS, that treatment cannot be a restrictive practice, such as forced medication. It must be a publicly funded service available through Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, or the public health system.
While we’ve secured some improvements and won more time for scrutiny, our goal remains the same: this bill should be shelved.
If you’d like to make a submission to the extended NDIS inquiry, you can do so here.
The other big topic of the June sitting weeks was the Government’s first tranche of tax changes. The Greens resolved to support them, passing them through the Senate. In doing so, we secured important amendments to prevent wealthy property investors from exploiting a loophole to use Self-Managed Super Funds to purchase tax-advantaged investment properties, and we removed ministerial discretions that would have allowed a future minister to wind back these reforms.
While supporting these changes, we have been clear in our criticism of Labor’s broader tax package, which locks in over $30 billion per year in tax handouts that overwhelmingly flow to wealthy property investors.
Taking the conversation across WA
Over the past two months, I've travelled through Busselton, Bunbury, and Albany, talking with communities about the Greens' campaigns to tax billionaires, make gas corporations pay their fair share, and tackle growing inequality.
One highlight was our Politics in the Pub event in Albany, where more than 70 people packed into the Premier Hotel for a thoughtful discussion about the issues facing the Great Southern and the country more broadly.
I've also continued hosting online membership forums with Greens members across WA. These conversations have covered everything from housing affordability and gas taxation to protecting Scott Reef, tackling illicit tobacco, the rise of One Nation, and the future of progressive politics in WA.
These discussions are invaluable in helping shape the work I take into Parliament. In recent weeks, I’ve taken these issues into the Senate, including speaking on the need to scrap AUKUS, tax gas exports more fairly, improve access to PBS medicines, amplify the Woodside “Get Off My Chest” campaign, protect Scott Reef, strengthen access to healthcare in regional Western Australia, call for a moratorium on data centres and much more.
The months ahead will continue to be busy, but my priorities remain clear.
I'll keep fighting to protect and strengthen disability rights, get dental into Medicare, tackle housing inequality, reduce the growing gap between the wealthiest Australians and everyone else, and challenge the outsized influence of the fossil fuel industry over our political system.
Most importantly, I'll continue listening.
Representing Western Australia in the Senate is a privilege, and I believe good representation starts with genuine conversations. Every email, community meeting, and discussion helps shape the work I do in Parliament.
If you’d like to stay up to date with my work, follow me on YouTube and Instagram. You can also get in touch by emailing senator.steele-john@aph.gov.au