This week’s headline?
New leadership at the NDIA = new sheriff in town.
Grab your hat, babe. Change is brewing.
💃✨ Sector Awards Edition — Sarah’s Big Night Out!
Before we jump into all the NDIS news…
Let’s rewind to Thursday night when Sarah hit the Australian Disability Sector Awards like the absolute networking queen she is 👑✨
Sat at the PayCat table (the payroll girlies know what’s up 💼🔥)
Ran into half the sector she’s interviewed IRL (podcast but make it red carpet energy) 🎤✨ SO many people she’s interviewed on Sarah Knows Support Workers podcast!
Soft-launched her “I actually know everyone in this industry” era 😭👏
Here is Paul Bryan , Sarah Heriot and Garth Belic
🎙️ NEXT WEEK:
Sarah is interviewing Tara, founder of Me Plus More, on the podcast!
Check them out 👉 https://meplusmore.com.au/
This episode will be HUGE for participants — choice, independence, clarity, confidence 💜
👑 Big NDIS News This Week
🆕 New Boss at the NDIA!
There’s a new sheriff in town 🤠⭐
Graeme Head AO is officially the new NDIA CEO.
What that means for YOU:
More focus on quality
More clear rules
Less confusion (fingers crossed)
Probably more checks 😅
But overall?
It’s giving: “Let’s fix this thing properly.”
🤖 NDIS Is Now Using AI (Yep… robots)
NDIA is trialling AI + machine learning to help draft budget plans.
Don’t stress — humans still approve the plans. But it does mean:
Plans might look more “copy + paste”
You can still ask questions
You can still challenge wrong budgets
Your notes + reports matter more than ever ✍️✨
⚡ Psst… SwiftyMatchy is being tested right now!
Want first access? Join the waitlist 💖 → www.swiftymatchy.com
🚨 Fraud Crackdown
he government is cracking down HARD on:
❌ Dodgy consultants
❌ Dodgy providers
❌ Dodgy auditors
If you’re doing the right thing, you’re sweet 💅
Just keep:
Notes clear
Kms logged
Shifts accurate
No “creative storytelling” 😉
Pricing changes coming soon 💸
From 24 November:
Some COVID items are ending 😬
Travel/therapy/cleaning rules tightening
Service agreements may need a little glow-up
Prep now. Avoid claiming chaos later 💸✨
🏥 State News: Hospitals, Supports & Big Feelings
QLD is yelling at Canberra again
Queensland’s Premier said:
“Hey, the hospitals are full and we need more money!” 💰😤
Also:
People stuck in hospital need aged care/NDIS places
Foundational supports aren’t properly funded
Honestly? He’s not wrong.
Providers exiting the NDIS 😬
Two big exits this month:
Centacare QLD stepping back
Anglicare WA closing a disability service
This means:
⭐ More families looking for new support
⭐ More opportunities for indies/small providers
⭐ Also… the system is tired 😬
🧓 Aged Care Glow-Up (Sort Of)
A brand new Aged Care Act kicked in — biggest change in YEARS.
What’s new?
Older people = stronger rights ✊
Providers = tougher rules
People choose their home
Regulator = new “don’t mess with me” energy
Fees changing:
Older Australians may now pay more for:
🧹 Cleaning
🍳 Cooking
🚿 Showers
Families will shop around more than ever.
🧠Mental Health Spotlight
A new national report confirmed:
Mental health services are struggling 😣
Many people rely on NDIS because mainstream support doesn’t exist
The gap between NDIS + state mental health is huge
Not new — but now in writing 🤷♀️
🌏 Around Australia – Quick Bits
WA preparing for disasters 🌪️
VIC deep-diving therapy quality + pricing 💼
NSW updating worker checks 👷♀️
SA, TAS, ACT, NT prepping for aged care changes 🧓
💬 What This Means For YOU
For Support Workers:
Write good notes 📝
Sign off same day
Keep kms updated 🚗
Ask questions
Communicate simply & kindly
For Participants:
Ask: “How did you decide this budget?”
Request changes
Move providers if needed
You have rights (NDIS + aged care!)
Don’t settle for the wrong fit
For Small Providers + Indies:
Big orgs leaving = your golden window
Compliance = getting tighter
Documentation = survival
If your business is solid, now is your moment ✨
💖⚡ SwiftyMatchy Closing Vibes
Thanks for hanging with us, fam 💖
NDIS changes fast — but we’ll always break it down with clarity, ease, and a sprinkle of chaos-sparkle ✨💅
SwiftyMatchy is being tried + tested right now.
Matching magic is happening behind the scenes so participants can find their people — and support workers can land perfect-fit shifts 👀⚡
👉 Wanna be first in line? Join the Waitlist.
Got thoughts or tea?
💌 Email Sarah: [email protected]