Australia removes 160,000 disabled people from NDIS in major eligibility overhaul

Australia's Labor government announced sweeping changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme on April 22, 2026, removing more than 160,000 people with disabilities from the program as part of a cost-containment plan. Health Minister characterized the changes as targeting "fraudsters and crooks" exploiting the scheme while addressing what officials describe as ballooning costs threatening the program's long-term sustainability. The removal affects roughly 13% of current NDIS participants and represents one of the largest eligibility restrictions since the scheme's 2013 launch. The policy signals intensifying debate over disability welfare sustainability in wealthy democracies as aging populations and expanded eligibility strain government budgets.