October Newsletter

New NDIS Laws

Changes to NDIS funding came into effect on 1 October 2026, with some participant budgets being reduced over a 12-month period.

The changes affect funding in two support categories:

Social, Economic and Community Participation
Improved Daily Living

The impact will vary between participants, and not all supports within these categories are affected. Some supports that won't be affected include help with eating, drinking, dressing, toileting, laundry, cleaning, nurse care and medication, home and vehicle modifications, personal mobility equipment or Specialist Disability Accommodation.

Importantly, the changes will not affect everyone immediately. Budget reductions will apply when a plan is created or reassessed from 1 October 2026, or renewed from 1 February 2027.

The NDIS has published further information, including a full list of affected and excluded supports.

Read more about the changes on the NDIS website.

NDIS Changes: Key Dates

There have been a lot of changes announced for the NDIS, and it can be difficult to keep track of what is happening and when.

To help make things a little easier, we’ve put together some key dates to keep in mind:

📅 October 2026
Funding changes begin for some types of supports, SIL providers must be registered or have applied, and the phased rollout of Thriving Kids begins.

📅 December 2026
The provider claiming window is expected to reduce from 2 years to 90 days.

📅 February 2027
Unused funding will no longer carry over when a plan is renewed.

📅 April 2027
New framework planning is expected to begin, initially with a small number of NDIS participants.

📅 October 2027
Participants with plan management are expected to choose a plan manager from a government-approved panel.

📅 January 2028
New NDIS access rules are expected to begin.

📅 July 2028
New commissioned support coordination functions are expected to begin.

📅 By the end of 2030
The transition to framework planning is expected to be complete.

There is a lot to take in, but these changes won't all happen at once and timelines may change as the reforms progress.

We’ll continue to share important NDIS updates as more information becomes available. Always check the official NDIS website for the latest information.

7 Years of Pacific Plan Management

This October marks 7 years since Pacific Plan Management began, and what a journey it has been!

What started as a small team of just 2 has grown into a team of 11, with offices in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, while continuing to support NDIS participants Australia-wide.

Over the past seven years, we’ve had the opportunity to grow alongside the NDIS, build some wonderful relationships within our community and, most importantly, support participants with the financial and administrative side of their NDIS plans.

This year has also brought some special milestones. We were honoured to be named a finalist in the 2026 IMB Bank Illawarra Business Awards – Employer of Choice, recognising the team and the workplace we’ve worked hard to build.

We’ve also continued to grow our community connections, support local organisations and events, and build a team that genuinely cares about the people we work with.

Seven years in, we’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come — but even more excited about what’s ahead.

Thank you to our participants, families, providers, support coordinators, referrers and community partners for being part of the Pacific Plan Management journey.

Here’s to 7 years! 🥂

Good News

Special Olympics Australia Celebrates 50 Years

There’s plenty to celebrate this October, with the 2026 Special Olympics Australia National Games taking place in Melbourne from 19–23 October.

The Games will bring athletes from across Australia together to compete, connect and celebrate their achievements.

This year is extra special as it marks 50 years of the Special Olympics movement in Australia, an incredible milestone celebrating inclusion, determination and the achievements of people with intellectual disability and/or autism.

We’ll be cheering on all the athletes taking part!

Find out more.

Together in Chaos and Clusive Community Directory host a free Inclusive Play and Support morning on the first Wednesday of every month at Stuart Park Inclusive Playground, North Wollongong, from 10:00am to 11:30am (weather permitting).

📅 Next event: Wednesday 7th October 2026

These relaxed and welcoming mornings provide an opportunity for families to connect with other parents and carers, meet local support services, and enjoy a safe space where children can play and explore.

Pacific Plan Management will also be attending, and we would love to see you there! Come along, say hello and connect with other families and community members.

For more information, click the link below.

Community Expos

We were out and about at a few local expos last month and loved getting the chance to connect with so many people in our community.

📍 Shoalhaven Disability Expo
📍 DEC Wollongong
📍 Able Plus Wollongong

Each event was a great opportunity to catch up with familiar faces, meet new people, connect with local providers and organisations, and hear what’s happening across our local disability community.

We love getting out from behind our desks and having those face-to-face conversations. A big thank you to everyone who stopped to say hello, had a chat with us or took the time to connect.

What a wonderful night celebrating the Illawarra Business Community!

Some of our team attended the IMB Bank Business Awards, where Pacific Plan Management was proud to be named a finalist in the Employer of Choice category.

While we didn't take home the award, we had an amazing night celebrating with the team and seeing so many incredible local businesses recognised for the work they do in our community.

Being named a finalist was something we're incredibly proud of and a wonderful recognition of the amazing team we have here at Pacific Plan Management.
And of course, it was nice to get dressed up and enjoy a night out together!

Our team took some time away from the office to focus on something that’s just as important as the work we do — looking after ourselves and each other.

We spent the day completing a Wellbeing & Resilience Workshop with Lifeline South Coast, learning more about wellbeing, resilience, mental health and the importance of recognising when we might need a little extra support.

As a small team, we spend a lot of time supporting others, so having the opportunity to pause, connect as a team and focus on our own wellbeing was really valuable.