00:02For Nidhi Shikharan, every step towards independence has come with challenges.
00:07It was so hard to be on the pension for 10 years and then get onto the NDIS.
00:13We fought for this.
00:14Born in India, her family migrated to Australia in the year 2000.
00:19She lives with cerebral palsy and a vision impairment.
00:23Under the NDIS, she receives carer support like meal preparation and personal care,
00:29but now fears that's at risk after the government announced sweeping changes.
00:34It's a state of limbo. I don't know where the axe will fall.
00:37The overhaul includes removing at least 160,000 people off the scheme by the end of the decade
00:44and capping the social and community participation program,
00:49something many culturally and linguistically diverse participants like Nidhi rely on.
00:54My fear is people will stay home because they don't feel connected, they don't feel safe.
01:01People from diverse backgrounds make up about 9% of NDIS participants.
01:07Advocates say that community is already underrepresented and fear the changes could make that worse.
01:15The NDIS was built on a promise of equal access for all Australians with disability.
01:19But what was announced puts that promise under real pressure, especially for cold communities.
01:26We know that there are some unique challenges that are faced by diverse communities in accessing the scheme.
01:32In working these changes through, we'll want to hear from all kinds of disability types and all kinds of communities.
01:39Looming changes set to face more scrutiny.
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