The Self-Management Advisory Group (SMAG) met on Thursday, 19 March 2026. The meeting was held online.
Focus of the meeting
The focus of the March meeting was:
- NDIA fraud and integrity update.
- New NDIS Support Needs Assessment.
NDIA fraud and integrity update
Topics discussed included:
- Integrity risks that are negatively impacting NDIS participants.
- Main vulnerabilities undermining the integrity of the NDIS.
- An overview of non-compliant and fraudulent participant behaviours.
- Kickbacks being used to exploit participant plans.
- Information from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) report – “Opening the Books: the impact of serious and organised crime on Australia 2025”.
- Key insights from Senate Estimates hearing held on Thursday, 12 February 2026.
Demonstration on the Support Needs Assessment Tool
The Agency provided an overview of how the new NDIS Support Needs Assessment will work, including where in the new planning process the following topics will be discussed with participants:
- Participant plan preferences.
- Fund Management.
- Plan duration.
- Funding period length.
- Funding distribution.
Next meeting
The next SMAG meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 5 May 2026.