People With disabilities WA

04/09/2026

Question: What’s the deal with Thriving Kids? That’s a question we hope to tackle at an upcoming question time with the WA Department of Communities next Tuesday that you're invited to.

We're inviting members and the wider disability community to come along to ask this question and get a detailed answer.

What we do know:
A $52 million WA Government tender process is underway and PWdWA has an opportunity to apply. (Check out the link in comments 👇)

The Thriving Kids Family and Children Support Program grants scheme has aims PWdWA supports – to back up children and families of youngsters aged 8 and under with developmental concerns, delay or autism.

Initiatives the state government wants to back will help:
* build family capability and confidence
* strengthen peer support networks and community connections
* improve access to early supports in community settings
* provide culturally safe supports, including services delivered by Aboriginal-led organisations for Aboriginal kids and families.

PWdWA is not sure this is something we should put our hands up for but we want to ask members if there is an agenda that would be useful for you or your kids.

We can't apply for advocacy funding to support you through Thriving Kids processes in this funding round, but we can apply for funding support to run peer-support community programs.

We've heard an independent peak body to pursue a good Thriving Kids agenda has unfortunately been ruled out.

And let's be honest, we don't want kids to be removed from the NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme at all.

Is there a particular agenda you want us to pursue? Like develop a program to get kids back on the NDIS from age 9?

Kids with autism and developmental delay have a lot going on. Sometimes there's too or , , and a suite of other . It's not unreasonable that kids will also be eligible for the scheme for other reasons.

We want all our programs to be built with and for our members. We want to pursue agendas you're comfortable with.

We also want to develop a report and develop policy positions to lobby the Technical Advisory Group for NDIS functional capacity.

We do not know what criteria the group is using, or how they will define what a significant disability is.

With the Thriving Kids start date coming on October 1, come along and have your say before our kids start being removed from the .

Our community session is this Tuesday at 2–3.30pm at Department of Communities, 130 Stirling Street, Perth.

RSVP at the Humanitix link in comments 🎟️

—People with Disabilities WA

31/08/2026

Changes are coming to the way NDIS appeals work — and understanding the process matters.

Join PWdWA for our upcoming online masterclass, Changes to NDIS Appeals, where we’ll break down what has changed, what the new timeframes mean, and what people can do when they disagree with an NDIS decision.

The session will cover:
Internal reviews
Appeals to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART)
Important timeframes and deadlines
Gathering and presenting evidence
Practical advocacy tips for navigating the process

This workshop is designed for people with disability, families, carers, advocates, support workers and anyone wanting a clearer understanding of NDIS reviews and appeals.

📅 16 September 2026
🕙 10:00am
💻 Online

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/masterclass-changes-to-the-ndis

Join PWdWA for a practical, supportive workshop on the changes made by the NDIS Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill

27/08/2026

Planes and airports: Disability community members have a chance to learn more about the new Aviation disability standards consultation paper being shared by the Australian Department of Communications, Sport and the Arts and DITRDCSA's consultants The Social Deck.

The Social Deck is running an online session on Zoom for disability community next Thursday, 3 September 2026 at 7.30am AWST.

Another opportunity to learn more and have your say is coming up with AFDO - Australian Federation Of Disability Organisations too. We'll share details when we have them.

The aviation standards will hopefully help improve people's experiences on planes and at airports across the country.

As a disability representative organisation, PWdWA and our CEO Kat Johns consulted on the draft standards for you our members, as they have evolved over the past few years.

We want you to have your say too.

To read the consultation paper or RSVP to the Social Deck community session, see the links in comments 👇

27/08/2026

Paid sports representation: Sporty people with disability in are being encouraged to put their hands up for a new Sports Advisory Group initiative being led by Inclusion Solutions.

The paid representative opportunity is open to applications from:

* people with intellectual disability
* autistic people
* parents and supporter–carers
* sports representatives, club volunteers, coaches, officials and players

The group is an initiative of the Included in Sport project and will aim to improve the sports experiences of people with disability, particularly people with autism and/or people with intellectual disability.

Other aims of the group are to:

* share lived experience and use it to guide project resource development and training
* build connections and networks with people interested in inclusion and sport
* development confidence, leadership and advocacy skills
* be paid for your time

The regular meetings over the next year will be in person and online.

To apply by 31 August 2026 see the link in comments, or reach out to Harriet Mayer on 9201 8930 with questions.

—People with Disabilities WA

21/08/2026

Join us in Parliament – we’re off to make friends.

Disability community members in Western Australia are in the final steps of formalising a Friends of Parliament Partnership to have a voice to politicians.

The Parliamentary Friends of Disability group will be co-chaired by two members of parliament including Tim Clifford MLC from the Australian Greens (second co-chair to be confirmed soon) – and two people with disabilities – Allie Wilcox and Nareen Kander.

The WA Friends of Disability group is a cross-party forum to connect parliamentarians and grassroots community members

The DCFPP group will support discussion, insight, consciousness-raising and relational conversations in a less formal, non-judgemental environment.

The group are inviting people with disabilities and carers to get involved by joining the Facebook Group, the link is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19Aiqy9RYB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Caption 1: A 'We'd Like to Adopt You' promo poster mock-pitched at parliamentarians from the new Friends of Disability friends of parliament group.
Caption 2: Friends of Disability co-chair, Australian Greens MLC Tim Clifford, and Friends co-founder Patrick Kankanange Gunasekera.
Caption 3: Friends secretary, PWdWA CEO Kat Johns, Tim Clifford's staffer Mads de Jong, and Friends co-chair Allie Wilcox and co-founder Kathryn Carver.



WA Labor The Australian Greens Liberal Party of Australia One Nation Party National Party of Australia

18/08/2026

For those who need to debrief tomorrow.

Join Disabled People Against Cuts to share solidarity with other members of the community in this difficult time.

18/08/2026

MEDIA RELEASE: Disability community to take NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme changes to the polls.

The next Federal Election will be a battleground on disability, with members of the disability community determined to swing their votes away from the Australian Labor Party.

The major parties’ decision to stick with push forward with NDIS changes has alienated members of the disability community who are vowing on social media to never vote Labor or Liberals again.

Disabled people are also speaking about their anger and disappointment with the Liberal Party of Australia and National Party of Australia Coalition after a deal between the leaders was struck despite strong pushback from Senator Jordon Steele-John and The Australian Greens and independents such as David Pocock.

Today the Australian Senate voted to pass the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 with amendments despite the community’s widespread opposition.

The Bill will now return to the House of Representatives for approval or further amendment following its approval of an earlier draft.

People with Disabilities WA CEO Kat Johns said, “If both houses of parliament pass the NDIS Bill it will decimate the disability community’s way of life, further isolating people and their families, taking away their livelihoods, and resulting in greater expected loss of life.

“The so-called reforms will result in greater costs to society, restricting people’s way of life and making it harder to work, shop and live.

“The NDIS changes will dramatically increase the likelihood of hospitalisation for people with disability and lead to even greater numbers of deaths.”

PWdWA is hearing from people across the country who plan to change their vote away from Labor at the next Federal Election.

PWdWA CEO Kat Johns said, “The disabled community will never forget what Labor has done in passing this Bill, nor what the Coalition has done in effectively supporting it too.

“This decision to decimate our NDIS has mobilised the disability community to take their opposition to the polls and hold members of parliament responsible for what will be done to people with disability and their families over the coming years.

Tony Cooke wrote on PWdWA’s socials today, “Bye-bye Labor and Liberal.”

Connor Smith rallied, “We all vote. It's time for everyone to move their vote elsewhere. Away from the big two (and One Nation).”

Jil Anne wrote “It is a total disgrace. Lifelong active ALP supporter and member, not anymore!”

Lisa Kelly wrote, “I can tell you, my vote will never go to these people who did this – who pass this through parliament to knowingly neglecting, harming and will be killing our people.
My vote will always stay for the rest of my life with the people who support our people.”

A disability community campaign
The disability community has formed a voter-bloc to oppose NDIS changes and take their votes to the polls in the next federal election.

Titled Bloc the Cuts, the campaign is running an opposition website where voters are sharing how the cuts will affect their lives and businesses.

The campaign is expected to enable voters in every electorate to know precisely how their local member voted on the NDIS cuts in parliament.

To read more than 2890 messages of opposition, visit Bloc the Bill — An open letter against the NDIS cuts. Link in comments 👇

—People with Disabilities WA

Media contacts

Kat Johns
People With Disabilities WA CEO
Phone: +61 404 293 745

Amanda Ellis
PWdWA Disability Advocate and media liaison
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +61 438 003 868, +61 8 6288 7129

18/08/2026

To all members and community, we're unfortunately expecting bad news in the senate today.

Our member and political champion Senator Jordon Steele-John is currently speaking in the senate about being proud of disabled people, our fight for our rights to support, but he is describing this as the 'end of the road'. Jordon thanked our amazing allies at Disabled People Against Cuts and PWdWA would also like to acknowledge how brave and brilliant this group has been 💛💛💛 thank you!

The bill has amendments, including ensuring rights to appeal and an escalation pathway, which were won through community campaigning and negotiations by allies in parliament.

We'll keep fighting until the last second of course, on this battle, and then into the future until our rights to support are fully restored.

Please take care, look after yourselves and each other, if you're in WA and want to join PWdWA, our membership is free and we'll be engaging as much as we can to create a community of love and care in the coming months.

End of Message.

18/08/2026

With 7NEWS Sydney – we just got recognised as one of your top fans! 🎉please consider calling us so we can share our views on the NDIS cuts 🤑😬