Tuesday 31 March 2026
Quote from attendee:
“…you are working in this environment of multiple competing priorities, major reforms, and a bunch of uncertainty.” – Group member
What we talked about
Topic 1: Co-chair updates
- The Agency confirmed that the potential future navigator service reforms are still in the design phase.
- The potential future navigator service design intersects with other major reforms, such as Thriving Kids and New Framework Planning (NFP).
- No decisions have been made about timing, rollout, or locations and the navigator service will not be in place by the rollout of NFP or the establishment of Thriving Kids.
- existing roles and intermediary markets will continue to support participants
through the transition to NFP and Thriving Kids.
- existing roles and intermediary markets will continue to support participants
Topic 2: Disability Health Navigation Scoping Project
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DHDA) presented an overview of the Disability Health Navigation Scoping Project. The project aims to understand health navigation needs for people with disability across the health system.
What we heard
- People with disability and their carers face barriers navigating health services.
- Health navigation requires coordination across governments.
Topic 3: Engagement update
The Agency gave an update on engagement activities between October 2025 – March 2026 supporting the potential future navigator service. This included:
- participant focus groups on supported decision making
- discussions with organisations delivering “navigator-like” services
- engagement with reference and advisory groups.
What we heard
- Members would like to see how consultation is shaping design of the potential future navigator service, including which insights are new, how they shifted the NDIA’s thinking, and how those insights are reflected in the current design.
Topic 4: Member updates
What we heard
- Support coordination funding is decreasing while participant needs remain complex.
- Support coordinators are spending significant time re‑verifying their identity when contacting the NDIS National Contact Centre (NCC). This time is charged to participant funding, reducing the time available to support participants.
- Members raised concerns about:
- rising operational costs
- providers leaving the market
- fuel and travel costs impacting service delivery, especially in regional areas
- progress in implementing a NDIS review recommendation for a personal recovery approach to psychosocial disability.
- The NDIA should include carers in NFP rules by seeking and recording carer input throughout the assessment and planning process.
Members were asked to share further details of their feedback with the team, for referral to the appropriate Agency areas.
Topic 5: Navigator Working Group work planning
- The group discussed the current context of the NDIS reform roll-out and how this may impact the group’s work planning.
- The NDIA is focusing its efforts on consultation activities to prepare the new way of planning prior to roll-out. Several government policy decisions, such as the NDIS Rules, are also still pending.
- The working group was advised that the NDIA would be in touch when there were further relevant updates for the group.
- In the meantime, policy work on the proposed future navigator reform will continue. The Agency is planning what future engagement activities with stakeholders about these reforms could look like.
What we heard
Members wanted to know about the navigator work that is continuing and are interested in further engagement opportunities.