NDIS reforms: Collaboration critical to getting assessments right

22 April 2026 

Please find comments below from the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) in response to the proposed NDIS reforms announced by Minister Mark Butler today, in particular to the planned introduction of standardised functional capacity assessments.

Peak body for all psychologists, AAPi, has acknowledged the Government’s commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS and welcomed the opportunity to work collaboratively on reforms, but is urging caution regarding the proposed move toward standardised, one-size-fits-all assessment models.

AAPi Chief Psychologist, Amanda Curran, said there is no single standardised assessment that can adequately capture the complexity, diversity and lived experience of people with disabilities.

“Functional assessment is not a tick-box exercise. It requires expertise, professional judgement, and an understanding of the individual within their broader context,” she said. 

Minister Butler indicated that a new standardised assessment tool will be developed to determine eligibility based on functional capacity, with implementation expected in the coming years.

Ms Curran said that while consistency and equity in access are important goals, overly rigid assessment frameworks risked unintended consequences, including misclassification of need, reduced access to appropriate supports, and poorer long-term outcomes. 

“This is best achieved by incorporating input from treating clinicians. We have seen in other sectors that standardised approaches, when applied without flexibility or clinical oversight, can fail the very people they are designed to support,” she said.

“We strongly believe that any future assessment model must incorporate the expertise of qualified psychologists and not replace professional judgement.

Ms Curran said she was reassured the reforms were in their early stages, with further design, consultation, and legislation required before implementation.

“We are encouraged that there will be time allowed for genuine consultation, and that these changes are not immediate,” she said.

“We are more than ready to work constructively with the Government to ensure that any new assessment processes are evidence-based, clinically appropriate, and centred on the needs of participants.”


ENDS 

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