Reading Simon Duffy’s recent AFR opinion piece, “Healthcare and disability: How to fix the failed NDIS” (2 Sept 2025), prompted us at OnSide to reflect.
For more than a decade, as Australia’s largest independent Support Coordination service, we’ve seen thousands of people with disability receive NDIS plans that align with their goals. When those plans are paired with the right guidance, the difference is clear. Opportunities open up, lives change and independence grows.
Real Stories of Success
At OnSide, we see every day how the right support can change lives. The NDIS is full of stories of creativity, courage and achievement, and many of those belong to people we have proudly supported.
One of our clients once struggled to finish high school. With the right guidance and his NDIS plan backing his goals, he built the skills, confidence and networks to start his own small business.
Another family we worked alongside had felt isolated for years. Support Coordination helped them reconnect to their community, and today their son has a leading role in an inclusive theatre group.
We also supported a woman who thought employment was out of reach after an accident. With her team rallying around her, she now thrives in a role that matches her vision for the future.
These are not rare exceptions. They are everyday outcomes when people are given the tools and independent support to make their own decisions.
Why Budgets Matter
The AFR article highlighted one of the scheme’s core challenges: how budgets are set. At OnSide, we agree this is crucial.
At its foundation, the NDIS operates as an insurance scheme. That means budgets must be fair and transparent from the start. When that happens, participants and their teams can make the choices that work best for them.
Frameworks Already Exist
The NDIS already includes frameworks, providers and safeguards that guide decision making. In addition, investment in building participants’ capacity helps people become informed consumers, confident negotiators and active choosers of their supports.
These existing elements provide strong foundations. What matters most is ensuring people can use them with confidence and clarity.
The Role of Support Coordination
Support Coordination often makes the biggest difference in turning plans into reality.
Support Coordinators navigate the NDIS system with skill. They connect people with the right supports and help transform a plan into real outcomes. In our experience, every success story has included an element of skilled and independent coordination.
Strengthening What Works
The NDIS does not need to be dismantled or rebuilt.
Instead, we need to trust it.
We need to celebrate the lives it has already changed.
We need to strengthen it by doubling down on what works: fair budgets, individual choice and access to quality support.
If the national conversation can move away from blame and fear, and instead highlight the daily success stories, the scheme can move confidently into its next chapter.
Sharing the Stories
At OnSide, we believe sharing what works is one of the best ways to shape the future of the NDIS.
Stories of independence, creativity and courage remind us all why the scheme matters. And when those stories are heard, they help carry the NDIS forward with strength and confidence.