Disability advocates are lobbying key Senate crossbenchers to help sink the Morrison government's controversial National Disability Insurance Scheme reforms, including any changes which could hand enormous decision-making power to one federal minster.
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The push comes as NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds prepares for a showdown with her state and territory counterparts, who have become increasingly vocal in their criticisms of the federal government's plan to subject all participants to mandatory independent assessments.
One state disability minister told The Canberra Times he was "shocked' by some of the flagged changes, declaring his state would resist any move which would put the scheme at risk of a "death by a thousand cuts".
Before being moved out of the role in last week's cabinet reshuffle, former NDIS Minister Stuart Robert had hoped to pass laws to reform the scheme by the middle of the year.
The planned introduction of mandatory independent assessments has stirred the most controversy, with disability groups, state ministers, Labor and the Greens expressing outrage at a policy they fear will the undermine the principal that participants have "choice and control" over support they receive.
While the full suite of proposed reforms to the NDIS Act haven't yet been made public, leaked draft legislation showed the government was eyeing changes which could fundamentally alter the governance of the scheme.
One change flagged in the leak draft could hand the federal NDIS Minister expanded powers to make rules without agreement from the states.
Advocates fear this could apply to section 35 of the NDIS Act, which covers rules regarding "reasonable and necessary supports or general supports that will or will not be funded or provided" for participants.
Under the existing legislation, the minister cannot make those rules unless the Commonwealth and states have agreed to the change.
Canberra-based disability group Advocacy for Inclusion wrote to Senate crossbenchers before and after the draft laws were leaked to warn them about the possible changes.
In a letter sent to Centre Alliance senator Stirling Griff before the leak, seen by The Canberra Times, AIF chief executive officer Nicolas Lawler described "significant concerns" about an attempt to reduce the input of states.
"Handing over control of any element of governance of the NDIS to the Commonwealth will directly reduce the choice and control of people with disability in your state, and will decrease your ability to hold the Commonwealth accountable to the people of South Australia," the letter stated.
"We respectfully ask that if you are provided an opportunity to impact reform to the NDIS Act, that you use your voice to protect the dignity and rights of people with a disability.
"Please do not support any reform to the NDIS Act that further reduces the control of people with a disability and reduces the ability for states to protect the interests of the people they represent."
After the draft laws were leaked, the group told senators that the proposed changes were "exactly the kind" they had warned them about.
A number of state ministers - including the ACT's Emma Davidson, Gareth Ward from NSW and Luke Donnellan from Victoria - have spoken out against the reforms, in particular the introduction of mandatory independent assessments.
The Canberra Times surveyed the remaining five state and territory ministers on their position ahead of a planned meeting with Senator Reynolds on April 15.
After returning to work this week, Senator Reynolds said she would consult with ministers and the disability community before declaring her position on the proposals developed under her predecessor's watch.
Ministers from Queensland, WA and the NT - all Labor states - raised concerns about the proposal in its current form.
WA Disability Services Minister Don Punch offered the most strident criticism.
"The NDIS was created to provide choice, control and independence to people with permanent and significant disability. I am shocked by what appear to be proposed changes to the scheme that would chip away at the promise of the NDIS," he said.
"The WA state government and Commonwealth pay equal co-contributions to support Western Australians accessing the NDIS, and we will resist any future proposals to change the intent and design of the scheme in a way that put the NDIS at risk of suffering death by a thousand cuts."
Queensland Disability Services Minister Craig Crawford listed a number of concerns with the "rushed" proposal, including the implications for NDIS planning and supports for participants.
He asked the government to undertake "meaningful" engagement with the disability community, a point echoed by NT Minister for Disabilities Minister Kate Worden.
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SA Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink, who is part of the Marshall Liberal government, was non-committal when asked if she supported the proposed independent assessment model.
Ms Lensink supported a consultative approach between the states and Commonwealth on reforms to the NDIS Act, adding that any changes should not disadvantage existing or future participants.
Tasmania's Disability Services Minister Jeremy Rockliff, who is in the midst of an election campaign, did not respond to requests for comment.
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