Despite billions of dollars invested in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), new Australian research suggests that many young people with disability continue to face significant barriers in education, employment, healthcare and social inclusion.
A study released this week by researchers from Flinders University found that the gap between young Australians with disability and their non-disabled peers has remained largely unchanged over the past two decades. The research analysed data from 2001 to 2023 and concluded that while some individual outcomes have improved, overall inequality has not narrowed.
Pressure Extends Beyond the NDIS
The findings reinforce what disability organisations and advocates have argued for years: the NDIS was designed to provide individual supports, not to replace or fix Australia’s mainstream systems.
Many people with disability—particularly the large majority who are not NDIS participants—continue to rely on schools, hospitals, universities, employers, housing providers and community services that are often under-resourced or inaccessible.
Researchers noted that only around 11% of young Australians with disability were participating in the NDIS in 2023, meaning almost nine in ten young people with disability depend primarily on mainstream services for their daily needs and opportunities.
Why Mainstream Services Matter
Experts say that improving disability outcomes requires more than funding individual support packages.
Education systems need to provide inclusive learning environments, healthcare services must be accessible and coordinated, employers need to remove barriers to hiring and retaining people with disability, and housing and community services must support genuine participation.
Without stronger mainstream services, many people with disability continue to experience poorer educational attainment, lower employment rates, reduced social participation and greater financial hardship—even if NDIS funding continues to grow.
A Shared Responsibility
The research does not conclude that the NDIS has failed. Instead, it argues that expecting the scheme alone to close long-standing social and economic inequalities places unrealistic expectations on a program that was never intended to carry that responsibility.
Government agencies have similarly stated that the NDIS is only one part of Australia’s broader disability support system, working alongside mainstream education, health, employment and community services. Strengthening these systems is seen as essential to achieving better outcomes for people with disability, whether or not they are eligible for the NDIS.
Looking Ahead
As governments continue implementing disability reforms, the latest findings are likely to intensify calls for greater investment in mainstream services alongside the NDIS.
Researchers argue that closing Australia’s disability gap will require coordinated action across multiple sectors—not just disability funding—so that all people with disability have equitable access to education, healthcare, employment, housing and community life.