WWDA CEO Sophie Cusworth has called for greater transparency, better inclusion, and stronger systems for people with disability at the National Press Club as the Australian Government progresses changes to the NDIS.
On 10 August 2026, Sophie spoke as part of ‘Reasonable or Necessary? Debating Changes to the NDIS’, elevating the voices and priorities of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disability at a critical moment ahead of the Senate’s final report into the NDIS Reform Bill.
“This Bill is one of the most dangerous options on the table. It creates foreseeable risks for women, and gender-diverse people with disability and those who support us. Because this Bill does not create sustainability. It creates crisis.”
During the address, Sophie highlighted the urgent need for government to genuinely listen to people with disability and ensure our lived experience is embedded in the policies, systems and decisions that shape our lives.
For women, girls and gender-diverse people with disability, decisions about the NDIS cannot be separated from the broader systems and inequalities that shape our lives. Reforms must recognise our diverse experiences, respond to intersecting barriers and uphold our rights, safety, autonomy and access to appropriate support.
WWDA will continue advocating for a NDIS that is fair, transparent and responsive to the needs of people with disability. This includes ensuring that reforms are developed with the disability community.
Watch her full National Press Club address below.
[Video description: Sophie, wearing a white shirt and navy blazer, addresses the National Press Club. She stands in front of a blue background with two microphones in front of her. This video is 9 minutes and 5 seconds in duration.]
