Written by Mark Pietsch – PDA’s Co-Vice President & NSW Director
The NDIS was created to change lives. And for many of us, it has. It’s become a beacon in the darkness – the one part of government that consistently acknowledges our existence, our needs, and our right to support.
But the truth is, the NDIS can’t do it all. It wasn’t designed to carry every responsibility. And yet, for years, it’s been the only part of government where people with disability have had focused political attention. Why? Because for too long, we’ve had a Minister for the NDIS, but not a Minister for Disability.
And that needs to change.
We Don’t Just Need a Portfolio. We Need Representation.
A Minister for Disability isn’t just a title. It’s a commitment to visibility. It’s a declaration that people with disability are part of this country’s social fabric — not just participants in a program.
This Minister would:
- * Oversee the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
- * Hold state and federal governments accountable for the Disability Royal Commission’s recommendations.
- * Ensure inclusion is embedded in all policies — not just the NDIS.
- * Work across portfolios so that people aren’t left behind in housing, education, health, transport, and justice.
Right now, disability is often treated as an add-on or delegated downward to individual schemes. And yet the need for coordinated support – and real leadership – has never been more urgent.
Representation in Parliament Matters
In 2017, when Senator Jordon Steele-John entered the Senate as Australia’s youngest-ever senator and first wheelchair user in Parliament, something shifted. Not just because of what he said – but because of what he represented. He didn’t just talk about disability rights. He lived them. He led the charge for the Royal Commission. He’s held governments to account on the NDIS. And he’s pushed for reform that reflects the lived experience of our community.
Now, he’s one of the most respected crossbench senators in the country – and is being discussed as a future leader of the Greens. If that happens, it will be a milestone: a person with a disability leading a major Australian political party. Though it does make sense. He has more experience than most and has spent longer in parliament than Bill Shorten when he took leadership of the Labour Party.
And just last month, Ali France – a fierce disability advocate and woman with a physical disability – was elected to the House of Representatives, removing the leader of the opposition from his seat. Two firsts. With her in the House and Jordon in the Senate, we finally have visible representation in both chambers of Parliament.
That matters. Because when people with disability are in the room, the conversation changes.
The only thing more powerful than having disabled people in Parliament?
Having one as Minister for Disability and the NDIS.
My Experience: Shut Out of the Senate
Last year, when the Senate held the final vote on the Getting the NDIS Back on Track bill, I was there – but I couldn’t be in the room.
Not because I wasn’t welcome. But because the public gallery is not accessible.
I was with others in powerchairs. The only place for us to sit blocked a stairwell – a fire hazard. One wrong move of a joystick, and someone could’ve ended up down the stairs. In fact, I joked grimly that they might’ve landed in Senator Hanson’s lap – something none of us wanted to explain.
We found space in the left gallery, with better visibility. But Senate rules required us to leave before the vote. We were asked to go – not because we’d done anything wrong, but because protocol made no room for us.
That day, I felt like an outsider in my own democracy. I’ve always been proud to be Australian. But that moment shook something in me. I was reminded that for all our talk of inclusion, access still isn’t guaranteed – even in the heart of our Parliament.
A Minister for Disability, someone with the authority and experience to fight for accessibility in Parliament and beyond, would mean no one else is shut out the way we were.
Moving Beyond the NDIS – Toward Inclusive Governance
The NDIS is a critical support, but it cannot be the only thing people with disability rely on.
We need:
- * Accessible housing through mandated building codes across all states.
- * A shared equity housing scheme to help people with disability own homes they can live in safely.
- * Foundational supports that serve the 90% of people with disability who are outside the NDIS.
- * Real co-design — not after-the-fact consultation — in every stage of reform.
We also need to stop putting the burden of reform on exhausted advocates and overstretched organisations. Representation, resourcing, and reform must go hand-in-hand.
What Comes Next?
At Physical Disability Australia, we’re helping build a national campaign — one that centres disabled leadership, unifies community voices, and calls for structural change.
We’re working towards :
- * A dedicated Minister for Disability – with or without the NDIS portfolio.
- * Full implementation of the Royal Commission findings.
- * Local organising in every electorate, so that no MP can say they didn’t hear from us.
- * A whole-of-government approach to disability inclusion.
Because disability policy shouldn’t start and stop with a funding scheme. It should be woven into the structure of a fair, inclusive, and just Australia.
How can you help?
You can join us here, as a member, or as a supporter.
We can work together for good.
Blog image borrowed from https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/come-clean-treasurer-jim-chalmers-demands-coalition-clarify-proposal-to-slash-ndis/ylywsad24
