The Board is the accountable authority for the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).  

The NDIA Board is responsible for:  

  • setting the strategic direction of the NDIA. 
  • developing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, including: the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the Disability Reform Ministerial Council (DRMC) and the Independent Advisory Council. 
  • ensuring statutory compliance and risk management. 
  • monitoring the performance of the NDIA and reporting to the DRMC as set out in the NDIS and PGPA Acts and intergovernmental agreements
  • developing an annual Corporate Plan for the NDIA.  

The NDIA Board consists of a Chair and 11 members. Appointments of the Chair and Board are made under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (the NDIS Act) by the Minister for the NDIS in consultation with all Australian state and territories. 

Board members are appointed on a part-time basis for terms of up to 3 years.

Members are eligible for appointment only if the Commonwealth Minister is satisfied they are a person with disability, have lived experience with disability, or have the skills, experience or knowledge in one or more of the following fields: 

  • the provision or use of disability services 
  • the operation of insurance schemes, compensation schemes or schemes with long term liabilities 
  • financial management 
  • corporate governance. 

Board members of the NDIA

Current members of the NDIA Board are: 

  • Mr Kurt Fearnley AO (Chair) 
  • Ms Meredith Allan 
  • Ms Maryanne Diamond AO 
  • Dr Richard Fejo 
  • Dr Graeme Innes AM 
  • Mrs Joan McKenna Kerr 
  • Dr Denis Napthine AO 
  • Ms Estelle Pearson 
  • Dr Peta Seaton AM 
  • Ms Leah van Poppel 

Committees assist the Board to meet its statutory requirements, manage risk, and ensure the Agency achieves best-practice governance. The current Board committees are: 

  • Audit Committee 
  • Strategic Direction and Participant Outcomes Committee 
  • Risk Committee, and 
  • Sustainability Committee. 

The membership, roles and responsibilities, and attendance of the Board and its committees are published each year in the NDIA Annual Report.

Board performance is also reviewed annually in accordance with the Board Audit Committee Charter:  

Meet the NDIA Board 

This page current as of
4 October 2023