Amendment timeline
NDIS Act 2013
National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth)
About this Act
Establishes the National Disability Insurance Scheme — Australia's national, no-fault disability support system. Defines participant eligibility, plan-creation processes, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Heavily amended in 2024 to address the Independent Review's 'Back on Track' findings.
- Original Royal Assent
- 28 March 2013
- Original commencement
- 1 Jul 2013 (trial sites); full national rollout from 1 Jul 2016
- Administered by
- NDIS-COMMISSION
Amendment timeline
Chronological list, oldest to newest. Each entry cites the legislation.gov.au compilation or as-made source and, where available, regulator guidance.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Quality and Safeguards Commission and Other Measures) Act 2017
Royal Assent
13 December 2017
Commencement
Staged: NSW/SA 1 Jul 2018; rest of Australia 1 Jul 2019
What changed
Established the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission as an independent national regulator of NDIS providers and workers. Created the NDIS Provider Registration regime, the Code of Conduct for NDIS workers, mandatory reportable incident reporting, complaints handling and Behaviour Support Practitioner authorisation framework.
Who's affected
All NDIS registered providers and their workers; behaviour support practitioners.
NDIS Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Act 2024
Royal Assent
5 September 2024
Commencement
Staged from 3 Oct 2024 onwards
What changed
Major restructure following the 2023 Independent NDIS Review. Replaced the open-ended 'reasonable and necessary supports' list with a prescriptive 'NDIS supports' list (transitional rules from October 2024). Tightened access criteria for participants. Introduced new needs assessment powers (impairment-based + functional). Created 'new framework plans' with whole-of-person budgets. Established a more interventionist plan-management regime. Tightened sole-trader provider obligations and built foundational supports outside the individual budget.
Who's affected
All NDIS participants, families and carers; registered and unregistered providers; plan managers; support coordinators.
What's coming next
'Back on Track No. 2' is expected in 2026. Will likely address provider registration reforms (mandatory registration for many currently-unregistered providers), worker screening expansion, foundational supports rollout (Tier 2 services delivered outside the individual plan), and stronger sector regulation by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. State and territory governments are negotiating roles in foundational supports rollout.
Why this matters now
Provider registration is being widened from 2026 — every NDIS provider currently operating unregistered should plan a registration build now. Plan changes from October 2024 mean participant supports are tighter and harder to justify outside the prescribed list. The Commission has hugely scaled enforcement (banning orders, compliance notices, civil penalties for unregistered service delivery in registration-mandatory categories).
Frequently asked
Who has to be registered with the Commission?
Currently mandatory for providers delivering: SDA, specialist behaviour support, restrictive practice use, and certain plan management activities. Voluntary for most others. From 2026 (Back on Track No.2): mandatory registration is expected to expand significantly to all 'high-risk' supports.
What's an NDIS support under the 2024 amendments?
A type of support that is on a prescribed list under transitional rules (and ultimately under permanent rules to be developed). Participants can only spend their NDIS plan budget on NDIS supports. Replaces the old, open 'reasonable and necessary' assessment with a defined list approach.
What is a 'new framework plan'?
A plan made under the post-October 2024 system using needs assessment to derive a total budget figure (rather than line-itemed supports). Designed to be more flexible for participants but harder for participants and providers to game with item-shifting.
What are restrictive practices and who authorises them?
Practices that restrict a person's freedoms (chemical, mechanical, physical, environmental restraint, or seclusion). They can only be used where authorised in advance by a Behaviour Support Plan developed by a registered specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner, and (in states with legislation) state-authorised. All use must be reported monthly to the NDIS Commission.
Are foundational supports going to replace the NDIS?
No — they sit alongside it. Foundational supports (Tier 2) are state/territory-delivered services for people with disability who don't qualify for the NDIS or have only mild support needs. Funding and design is being negotiated through National Cabinet through 2026. The NDIS continues for participants with significant and permanent disability.
Other amendment timelines
Rules Mate summarises and links to legislation.gov.au and regulator guidance. We do not republish statutory text. Every date in this timeline has been verified against the Federal Register of Legislation as at 6 June 2026. Always verify against the live source before acting. Compliance tools, not legal advice. Consult a qualified professional.