Hey Swifties!
The NDIS is doing a full-on glow‑up and we’ve got the scoop. Here’s the tea on what’s changing, why providers are sweating and how it affects your match‑making dreams. We’re keeping it bold, sassy and super easy to read — because confusing government jargon is so last season.
🧠 What’s New?
🧾 I‑CAN v6 is here – Say goodbye to mind‑numbing paperwork and hello to the Instrument for Classification and Assessment of Support Needs. This tool checks what support you actually need, not what you “lack.” You’ll sit down for a chat with a trained assessor instead of chasing reports — but advocacy groups still want pilot programs to make sure lived experience counts. ✨🗣️
⌛ Planning delay drama – That new planning framework? Pushed to mid‑2026. More breathing room, but heads up: starting 3 Oct 2025, you’ve only got two years to lodge claims. Miss it, lose it. 😬
💰 Price‑guide glow‑up… and cut‑down – Support workers get a 3.95% pay bump (Yay! 🎉), but therapy travel rates are being slashed. Therapists can only charge half for travel, and plan-management set-up fees? Gone. Budget wisely.
🧠 Evidence squad alert – A new NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee is in town, made up of lived-experience legends and experts. Public consultations open soon.
👯 $40M for peer power – NDIA is funding state hubs, online groups, and local projects to boost peer support. Real people, real help, real community.
🎤 Foundational support crusade – Dr Debbie Jaggers is criss-crossing the country to push for stronger supports for kids and people with psychosocial disability. She’s not here to play — she’s here to change the game.
🏆 Grand Final Recap: Lyons Roar, Snoop Scores, and a Werribee Studio Gets Lit 🎤🔥
So… what a weekend.
🦁 Lions came in hungry and took down Geelong with a roar that echoed from the G to the group chats.
🎤 And Snoop? Oh he didn’t just perform at halftime — he stole the whole damn weekend.
On Friday arvo, the Doggfather turned his GPS to Werribee South, dropping into Warringa Park School to record a song with a group of absolute legend students. YES, REALLY.
They slid into his DMs earlier this year with a cheeky request. On Friday morning, the phone rang. “Snoop wants to do it.”
Teacher Ben Butcher dropped everything, Zoomed the Department, and rallied his class.
“We tried Instagram vids, emails, crossed our fingers — full Hail Mary. Then Friday 9am, I get the call. He’s keen. Zoom calls. Fifty phone calls later. We’re at campus. Snoop and his crew roll in like it’s nothing.”
Snoop? Smooth operator.
📱 Wrote lyrics on his phone.
🎙️ Nailed vocals in one take.
🎛️ Threw down two tracks of ad-libs.
📸 Took photos, signed merch.
Vibes: immaculate.
“Everyone’s buzzing… my students did themselves proud. This experience? We’ll cherish forever.”
When Snoop Dogg rolls into Werribee and makes dreams happen? That’s not just star power — that’s what world-class matching should look like. Big ups to the Godfather of Rap for delivering more than just bars.
📍State Snapshots
NSW
Thriving Kids drama – The federal government wants to move some early‑intervention autism services off the NDIS into a new Thriving Kids program. NSW leaders aren’t impressed and say they won’t back the plan without a fair hospital funding deal. The Premier warns the move could leave families in the lurch.
Hospital discharge push – State premiers are begging Canberra for more aged‑care and NDIS places so hospitals aren’t jammed with people waiting for support.
Victoria
The delay to the new planning framework is welcome news. Providers say it gives them time to adjust to other reforms. Otherwise, no big Vic‑specific stories this week.
Queensland
Co‑design in action – QLD is rolling out its Disability Stakeholder Engagement and Co‑Design Strategy, setting up a hub so people with disability can co‑design reforms.
Appeals database – University of Queensland law students launched an online database of NDIS appeal decisions, helping lawyers fight for participants’ rights.
Mental‑health voice – The Queensland Alliance for Mental Health says the latest NDIS amendment bill strengthens penalties and banning orders but warns extra compliance will hurt small providers.
Western Australia
Community Advisory Council – WA is recruiting people with lived experience for a new NDIS Community Advisory Council to guide reforms.
New funding model & price pain – WA has agreed to pay a fixed yearly contribution to the NDIS while the Commonwealth pays the rest. On the same day, the price guide cuts travel allowances and therapy rates. Providers in regional WA say families in the Kimberley and Pilbara will struggle to access services, and therapists like Liz Martin are already absorbing costs due to years of flat pricing. NDIA insists the cuts will improve value and equality.
South Australia
Provider collapse – The MS Society SA & NT went into voluntary administration after racking up $2.5 million in debt, putting services for about 3,000 clients at risk. This follows the near‑collapse of Bedford Industries, which needed a $15 million bailout.
NDS alarm – NDS warns that more than half of quality providers are losing money and calls for independent pricing and regulatory reform.
Tasmania & ACT
Both states are mostly watching the national changes. Tasmanian leaders joined others in pushing for more aged‑care and NDIS places to speed up hospital discharges.
Northern Territory
The MS Society crisis also affects NT clients. The federal government is working with administrators to ensure supports continue. NT is also getting ready for a local inclusion awards and webinars, but no big announcements landed this week.
💡 What this means for you (plain‑speak)
Expect a new way of getting your plan – You’ll meet an assessor who looks at what supports you need. This change aims to make planning fairer. Engage in pilots and speak up if the tool doesn’t capture your reality.
Stay on top of your budget – Support worker rates are up, but therapy and travel payments are down. If you’re remote, try grouping sessions to save travel costs.
Don’t miss claim deadlines – Starting 3 Oct 2025, you have two years to claim on supports.
Join the conversation – Look out for co‑design hubs, advisory councils and community forums in your state. Your voice shapes the reforms.
Watch provider health – Keep an eye on your providers; many are under financial strain. If a service is pulled, contact the NDIA or your state’s disability office for alternatives.
That’s a wrap, SwiftyMatchy fam! Stay sassy, stay informed, and let’s match those supports like pros.
🎙️ Podcast on the Road
Sarah’s not just in the studio — she’s hitting the road for some good ol’ NDIS storytelling, live from the field. Think:
On‑the‑ground convos
Real-life wins
A cheeky road trip playlist
🎧 → Catch it here and get ready for some unfiltered fun.
🫶 Final word
So there you have it — the NDIS is shaking, Snoop is showing up, and support work is getting spicy. We’ll keep spilling the tea, dropping truth bombs and throwing side-eyes where needed. Because that’s the Swifty way.
Until next time:
👢 Keep your boots high
💖 Keep your standards higher
🧃 Stay bratty, stay bold
— Team SwiftyMatchy
📩 Got a Q? A story? An NDIS “wtf” moment?
Slide into Sarah’s inbox: [email protected]