The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has launched a dedicated phone service designed to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a more culturally safe way to access NDIS support.
What Is First Nations Connect?
Called First Nations Connect, the new line runs through the NDIS National Contact Centre and can be reached on 1800 411 640. Rather than being handled by a generic call centre queue, First Nations callers are now able to speak with staff who have received specialised cultural training — some of whom identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander themselves.
The idea grew out of direct feedback from First Nations communities, who told the NDIA they wanted to talk to people who understand community life, respect cultural values, and can explain the scheme in a way that’s easy to follow. More than 230 stakeholders were consulted in shaping the service, and the training behind it was built in partnership with the NDIA’s First Nations Group, drawing on previously identified gaps in how the Agency had been supporting First Nations participants.
Why It Matters
The launch is being positioned as part of a broader push by the NDIA to support national priorities like Closing the Gap and to act on recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission. For a scheme that many First Nations families have historically found difficult or alienating to navigate, a contact point built around cultural understanding — rather than just process — is a meaningful shift in how services are delivered.
The Agency has also flagged that the service isn’t a finished product: it’s expected to keep evolving as more information and feedback comes in from callers and communities.
What People Are Saying
Minister for the NDIS, Senator Jenny McAllister, framed the initiative as being about trust as much as process, noting it reflects an ongoing commitment to listening to First Nations participants and communities.
NDIA Board Member Dr Richard Fejo, a Larrakia and Warramungu man, called it a significant step toward equity, stressing that services for First Nations people need to be both relevant and genuinely respectful — and that the best solutions come from communities working together with the Agency, not services designed at a distance.
The Bottom Line
First Nations Connect won’t fix every barrier First Nations people face when engaging with the NDIS, but it’s a concrete, community-informed step toward making that first phone call feel less intimidating and more trustworthy. If you or someone you know identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and needs help navigating the NDIS, the new line — 1800 411 640 — is now available.
Source: National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIS), 9 July 2026