Children and young people with disability have been sidelined in a disappointing Federal Budget that promised to give younger generations a 'fair crack'.
Major cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and a failure to invest in education, employment and social supports, raise questions about whether disabled young Australians are part of the government's vision for a fairer future.
"In the lead up to Budget night, the Prime Minister spoke about his desire to give young Australians a fair crack by addressing systemic inequity," said Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore.
"Yet for young people with disability and their families, who continue to experience inequity at school, work, and in everyday life, this Budget is defined more by what is missing or being taken away.
"It is not a fair crack to make enormous cuts that put greater pressure on education, early childhood, and other support systems without properly investing in strengthening those systems too."
More than 946,000 – or one in 10 (12.1%) – Australians aged under 25 live with disability, while children and young people make up more than half (52%) of all NDIS participants.
The Federal government's plan to save the Budget $37.8 billion over the forward estimates and remove 160,000 people from the Scheme will have a disproportionate impact on younger generations, especially young autistic children.
"The disability community must be given a genuine say on upcoming legislative changes to the NDIS, especially as they relate to needs assessments and future eligibility, planning and funding decisions," said Ms Kakoschke-Moore.
"At the same time, it remains critical that Federal and state governments work together to deliver effective alternatives like Thriving Kids.
"Children and families cannot be expected to navigate the gaps that emerge as governments wrangle over responsibility while essential supports vanish around them."
Of the investments announced, CYDA is supportive of additional funding for community consultations on proposed NDIS reforms, Disability Representative Organisations, ongoing child and mental health support for some public school students, and outreach health support for women and their children experiencing domestic and family violence or homelessness.
However, overwhelmingly, the 2026-27 Budget's emphasis on severely reducing NDIS growth has not been matched by meaningful investment in the broader systems children and young people with disability rely on.
In its pre-budget submission, CYDA recommended the government prioritise:
- Inclusive education, through a National Roadmap, an independent oversight body for education providers, increasing the Inclusion Support Program, and other measures
- Inclusive employment, through a National Youth Disability Employment Strategy, increases to income support payments, and wage equity measures
- A fair, safe and accessible disability supports ecosystem, including NDIS and non-NDIS supports
- Sector sustainability, through funding coordination, capacity building and targeted support for diverse groups
Each is essential for creating an inclusive and genuinely equitable Australia for every child and young person, but largely absent from this year's Budget.
"We all want to live in a country where every child and young person has the same opportunity to learn, participate, work, build relationships, and plan for their futures," said Ms Kakoschke-Moore.
"But systemic changes take time, and this Budget sends a disappointing message about the government's commitment to getting there."
Read CYDA's full pre-budget submission here.
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