Queensland mum’s NDIS debacle with disabled sons as she was quizzed by NDIA

A Queensland mother has opened up about the two and a half day grilling she copped from from the NDIS tribunal system and the “ridiculous” call that was made.

An intellectually disabled teenager was pitched as a suitable carer for his disabled brother by an NDIS agency expert, it can be revealed.

And when the NDIS tribunal panel dismissed the proposal, it was suggested the boy’s grandparents take up the slack instead.

The recommendations, floated at an independent review hearing, were labelled as “ridiculous” by the boy’s mother.

The mum and her husband, who can’t be named or pictured because of a non-publication order, can only provide limited care.

The recommendations, floated at an independent review hearing, were labelled as “ridiculous” by the boy’s mother. The family is pictured here together.

The mum said she wanted to speak out to expose what people with a disability and their families have to endure in order to get the funding they are entitled to.

She likened the tribunal system to a “David and Goliath battle”, favouring the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)’s multimillion-dollar war chest.

She said the questioning by lawyers was relentless.

One lawyer spent 45 minutes quizzing her on how she changed her son’s nappy.

An intellectually disabled teenager was pitched as a suitable carer for his disabled brother by an NDIS agency expert, it can be revealed.

“The entire time I didn’t feel like I was believed by the NDIA,” she said.

“In addition to having to be questioned for two and a half days straight, I was also trying to prepare my questions for the next day. So, I was up all night learning how to be a lawyer, learning how to litigate the case, learning how to support my son, but also attending to my son in the middle of the night and trying to get enough rest that I could focus on the next day.

“And in all honesty, after the case my entire body just shut down.”

Going to tribunal also meant she had to get new medical reports to back up her claims, costing taxpayers $10,000.

The case, which was finalised in the boy’s favour, resulted in him getting 10 times the amount of funding the NDIA originally was suggesting.