Sometimes, as a participant or patient, you feel powerless. Powerless against the NDIS, healthcare systems, or the structures you depend on. Afraid to speak up in case it affects your supports. So, you stay quiet.
And isn’t that a concern in itself? That we fear the consequences of being honest about our experiences. That we worry support could be pulled—not because we’ve done something wrong, but simply because we’ve spoken up.
But the recent NDIS price changes—including reductions to allied health rates, capped travel claims, and continued freezes for key services—left me no choice.
It’s not that I’ve suddenly found my voice—I host a podcast, I love to talk! But staying silent, pretending these changes made sense, felt like complicity.
I had no choice but to speak up.
A Week That Shifted Everything
On Monday 16 June, I attended the It’s Now or Never webinar—a powerful event calling for urgent action to protect the NDIS. I left thinking: I can’t just be an observer. Every contribution, no matter how small, matters.
So I reached out to one of the speakers, Giarne Ashby. Within days, our conversation became Wellbeing Interrupted Episode 74: “The Real Cost of NDIS Price Changes – A Participant, Parent, and Provider Perspective.”
Then I read an incredibly confronting article: “The NDIA appears comfortable with disabled people dying.”
I reached out to the author, Jarrod Sandell-Hay, wanting to learn more. That conversation will be next week’s podcast episode—coming out in just a few days.
Are we, as participants, aware of the risks of speaking out? Yes. But do we still want to stand up for what’s right? To ensure we, and others, continue receiving the support we need? Absolutely.
And to make sure the practitioners who’ve done so much for us—feel our support in return? 100% yes.
These aren’t words you write lightly. But they reflect what many of us have been feeling—and fearing—for some time.
From Celebrating the System to Questioning It
As someone who was part of the Barwon trial—and finally receiving coordinated, respectful support in living with MS—I felt proud to share my story. 📰 Read the article.
I believed in what the scheme could offer. And to be clear—I still do.
But I also believe in calling it out when the system begins to fail the people it was built to support. That includes the participants. And it absolutely includes the providers who’ve helped improve the quality of our lives.
A Word About Allied Health
Let’s not consume news headlines without thinking them through.
Maybe it feels easier to justify changes like reducing the rate for physio sessions, capping travel claims, or continuing the price freeze on key services when we create a narrative that allied health professionals are rorting the system. That they’re money-hungry. That they’re ripping it off.
That assumption has made me angry. And then, honestly just deeply upset.
Because I know the truth.
These are purpose-driven professionals. They’re the reason I’m still functioning. They’ve supported me through some of the hardest, most uncertain moments of my life.
Questioning their value doesn’t just feel unfair it feels completely disconnected from the reality I’ve lived.
Whenever I reflect on the darkest chapters of my MS journey, it’s a physiotherapist who’s been there. Offering support. Offering hope.
Speaking Up Isn’t Easy But It’s Necessary
Maybe it’s because I’ve been a participant but also a podcast host, author, a social worker, and a former NDIS Quality Auditor. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen what good support looks like—and what happens when it disappears. Maybe it’s because I can’t sit on the fence, knowing what’s at stake.
Whatever the reason, I know this: Silence doesn’t protect people. It protects broken systems.
Let’s Reflect
Have you ever felt like speaking up came at a cost? What helped you do it anyway?
I’d love to hear from you especially if you’ve ever had to find your voice in a system that made it hard to use.
📣 If you haven’t already, visit itsnowornever.com.au. Sign the petition. Then share it. Let’s all speak up because staying silent helps no one.
Chat soon
Teisha
Founder, Hurdle2Hope®
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