Why did we put so much effort into the NDIS review? Was anything that we said really considered? The process was done very cleverly. Step-by-step each session linked together asking for our opinions and documenting evidence – for what? So much energy was put into this process, but did it collect the right information? When we reflect back as a group I think we can see that whoever captured that information had a different agenda to what we believed we were contributing to. I know I wanted to make it better for everybody and focus on the vision that we all had when the NDIS started. We cannot go back and we can not let go of the good things that we fought for for years. We need to now put a massive effort into ensuring that we do not lose the great things about the NDIS. We need a united voice that ensures people with disability are supported to live their best life. We do not want to have to tell our story over and over again. We want the legislation and the policy to reflect what we have already fought for. We need to ensure our life goals are met and true inclusion is at the heart of the scheme. People with disability need to be able to have the support necessary for them to participate in everyday life in a safe and enjoyable manner. Let’s ensure that is captured with transparency and that no hidden agenda is allowed to take the NDIS backwards. Care needs to be flexible and care needs to be about care not about dollars and rules and no flexibility. Each individual is different and every body’s care needs are different. We need to acknowledge this and we need to protect what we have already helped design and implement. People’s lives are changed and our society has changed for the better. Let’s unite and ensure that the basic principles of choice and control and living the best life we can despite our circumstances is central to what we share with one another and what we ask for if changes need to made. Ask people with a disability what might work best and use true co design to develop any legislation and policy that needs to be put in place to protect both the scheme as it exists now and people with disability. We acknowledge we need to ensure the scheme’s sustainability and we also need to ensure that people with disability are not ripped off by individuals that see people with disability as a ‘cash cow’ but the changes that are reflected in the current bill are not going to do just this. We do need to ensure fraud is stamped out! The massive costs to the scheme are not from people with disability but from the many criminals and fraudulent deals that exist within it. We need to now ensure that we unite together to protect the amazing things about the current NDIS that enable us to live a life with real supports that work flexibly and give us choice and control over those most personal and precious areas of our lives – our basic human rights.