Neale Daniher’s worthy recognition is a unique opportunity to change the conversation about the NDIS

As someone who lives with a progressive muscular disorder, I am delighted by the announcement that Neale Daniher will be the 2025 Australian of the Year. Through his initiative, the FightMND foundation has raised significant funding to support research and aim for a solution.

What I hope comes from Daniher’s recognition goes further than this achievement. I hope to see a change in the national conversation about the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The National Disability Insurance Scheme is a lifeline for many Australians such as Daniher, who have complex disabilities, enabling us to live with dignity, independence and control over our lives. Whether it’s through funding for personal care, wheelchairs, therapies, or other support, the National Disability Insurance Scheme empowers individuals to live as active members of society.

As it is, despite the substantial benefits it's brought, the national conversation about the NDIS has become increasingly doom-laden. Headlines in the press are mainly about cost overruns, dishonesty and inefficiencies, which are casting a shadow over the genuinely life-changing experiences and opportunities that people have enjoyed. This persistent focus on the scheme's financial costs has led to public discussion that often portrays individuals with disabilities as financial burdens, and portrays the NDIS as an unnecessary and financially unsustainable strain on taxpayers and our economy.

A lot of people are worried that the funds that are essential for daily living and independence are being cut back. NDIS supports aren't luxuries - they're basic necessities like wheelchairs, help to get out of bed, or be able to have a shower - things we all need to be able to survive. Without enough funding, many are forced to live in communal homes where mistreatment and disregard for people's needs are all too frequent. Focusing solely on reducing costs forgets the personal struggles and system problems being faced by those who rely on the NDIS.

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The Australian of the Year award gives Daniher a distinct chance to shift the conversation. By giving a louder platform to the voices and experiences of individuals requiring substantial support, Daniher can help shift the focus from the National Disability Insurance Scheme towards its impact on people's lives. His leadership may encourage a national debate about establishing a more efficient, caring, and person-focused system, one that dismantles unnecessary red tape, offers greater flexibility, and ensures adequate funding for those needing the most support.

Bills are pushing individuals towards more costly and perhaps less beneficial options, or alternatively forcing them to forgo necessary help entirely.

One of the most crucial messages Daniher can promote is that disability can impact anyone, at any moment. For lots of Brits who think they won't encounter disability, Neale's story sends a surprising yet vital message that they themselves or a family member may one day require support from the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme. Whether it's down to an accident or an illness, anyone can find themselves with a permanent disability. This awareness should make us remember the often-overlooked individual in the National Disabilities Insurance Scheme. The National Disabilities Insurance Scheme, like the NHS, is essentially insurance for all of us – a safety net that ensures reasonable and necessary support for everyone in our community, should we ever need it.

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