Rorting the NDIS – how employee fraud is costing billions

In August 2022 the CEO of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Michael Phelan, disclosed that organised criminals were exploiting systemic weaknesses in the NDIS to rort it on an unprecedented scale. As much as 15 to 20 per cent of the $30 billion the NDIS costs each year is estimated to be misused by organised criminals involved in drug trafficking, violence, money laundering and other illicit ventures.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission maintains and publishes a register under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act). The register lists banning order recipients and 'other compliance and enforcement actions'.

As at the date of this article, 129 individuals and organisations are listed with banning orders under section 73ZN of the NDIS Act.