Australians with disability have been promised clearer decision making time frames for support services when major changes are introduced next year.
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National Disability Insurance Scheme Minister Stuart Robert is aiming to have draft legislation available for community consultation in 2021.
He hopes to cement the changes into law mid next year.
Among the changes being legislated is a so-called Participant Service Guarantee, which means the NDIS must tell scheme applicants within 21 days if they can take part.
Plans have to be approved within 56 days under the guarantee.
The NDIS is supporting more than 412,000 people, with that figure expected to grow to more than 500,000 over the next two years.
More than 60,000 participants are children under the age of seven.
The flagged changes also include legislating independent assessments for new participants and plan reviews, in order to determine the type of support people need.
The free assessments are done by a healthcare professional that doesn't already know a participant, rather than their doctor of choice.
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has said the change to independent assessments was causing distress to the disability community.
A review of the scheme recommended independent assessments for new - not existing - participants, contrary to the government's framing.
Australian Associated Press
