This submission draws directly on a recommendation jointly made by the National Women’s Alliances in our 2026–27 Pre-Budget Submission, which called for national investment in the Disability and Gender Leadership program. The program provides a proven, disability-led and peer-led approach to building leadership, rights knowledge, civic participation and sustained community connection through trusted local networks. The Inclusive Communities Fund provides an opportunity to scale this existing approach through its proposed investment in community capability and partnerships with disability-led organisations. We also hold grave concerns about the relationship between the Fund and proposed changes to NDIS Social, Civic and Community Participation and Capacity Building Daily Activity supports. The proposed $200 million over three years cannot substitute for the individualised supports people with disability need to participate in community life.
We urge the Australian Government to reconsider broad ministerial determinations and blunt funding cuts in these areas and ensure the Fund remains additional to individualised NDIS supports.
This submission was jointly authored by:
- Australian Multicultural Women’s Alliance
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance
- The National Rural Women’s Coalition
- The Working with Women Alliance
- Women With Disabilities Australia