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fraud National Disability Insurance Agency / Services Australia
$6.0B

Up to $6 billion stolen from disabled Australians every year — and the agency admits it had 'no real control' until 2024

The NDIS paid $46.3 billion in 2024-25. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission estimates up to 20% is misused — $6 to $9 billion annually. ANAO confirmed that before 2024 there was "effectively no real control on fraud and non-compliance." 1,900 providers have been disrupted. As of early 2025, 0% of NDIS claims by dollar value received manual pre-payment review.

On Their Watch
AR
Amanda Rishworth
This happened on Rishworth's watch as Social Services Minister, June 2022–present. Minister responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Services Australia

What This Means

$6.0B of Australian taxpayer money was misappropriated at National Disability Insurance Agency / Services Australia. The NDIS paid $46.3 billion in 2024-25. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission estimates up to 20% is misused — $6 to $9 billion annually. ANAO confirmed that before 2024 there was "effectively no real control on fraud and non-compliance." 1,900 providers have been disrupted. As of early 2025, 0% of NDIS claims by dollar value received manual pre-payment review.

Spread across Australia's 10.8 million households, that's roughly $556 per family — enough in total for funding roughly 50 public hospitals for a full year.

  • The NDIS paid $41.85 billion in 2023-24 and $46.3 billion in 2024-25.
  • The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) estimates up to 20% of NDIS payments are misused — implying $6 to $9 billion stolen or misallocated annually.
  • 48 of 2024-25 confirmed that before 2024, there was "effectively no real control on fraud and non-compliance" in NDIS payments.
Amount Spent
$46,300,000,000
Original Estimate
Not specified
Waste / Overrun
$6,000,000,000
AI Confidence
97%

Analysis

The NDIS paid $41.85 billion in 2023-24 and $46.3 billion in 2024-25. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) estimates up to 20% of NDIS payments are misused — implying $6 to $9 billion stolen or misallocated annually.

ANAO Report No. 48 of 2024-25 confirmed that before 2024, there was "effectively no real control on fraud and non-compliance" in NDIS payments. The scheme ran on a "pay first, check later" model for its entire existence from 2013 to 2024.

As of early 2025: 0% of NDIS claims by dollar value receive manual pre-payment review. All $46.3 billion is paid automatically with post-payment checks.

The Fraud Fusion Taskforce (NDIA, AFP, ACIC, ATO, Services Australia) has:

- 635 active fraud investigations

- Disrupted 1,900 providers

- $180M+ in recoveries (against $6B+ annual losses)

Per household calculation: Australia has 10.8 million households. The NDIS costs each household approximately $4,287/year. At the ACIC's 20% fraud estimate, each household effectively contributes $857/year to NDIS fraud — $240 using the more conservative $2.5B floor estimate.

This is the largest fraud problem in Australian government history by dollar value.

Sources:

- ANAO Report No. 48 2024-25: https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-06/Auditor-General_Report_2024-25_48.pdf

- NDIS crackdown: https://ndis.gov.au/news/11017-ndis-crackdown-prosecution-protects-public-funds

- NDIS Quarterly Report Sep 2025: https://www.noticer.news/ndis-costs-soar-exceed-targets-september-2025/

Sources

https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-06/Auditor-General_Report_2024-25_48.pdfhttps://ndis.gov.au/news/11017-ndis-crackdown-prosecution-protects-public-fundshttps://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2025/10/26/labors-multi-billion-ndis-fraud-exposed-by-labors-health-minister-mark-butler/https://www.noticer.news/ndis-costs-soar-exceed-targets-september-2025/
Category: fraud
Severity: critical
Agency: National Disability Insurance Agency / Services Australia
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The Full Reckoning

3 active investigations. 3 completed. 26 in the queue.

Rank Finding Amount Status
1 Up to $6 billion stolen from disabled Australians every year — and the agency admits it had 'no real control' until 2024 $6.0B Active
2 $5 billion in wrong pension payments — 3 years, every quarter a miss $5.0B Active
3 $2.7 billion gap: Australia's navy ships suffering 'catastrophic failures' $2.7B Active
4 $7.8 billion of your taxes paid to consultants who left nothing behind $7.8B Investigated
5 $3.3 billion in dodgy NDIS claims slipped through because nobody was watching $3.3B Investigated
6 CIMIC Donated $540K to Labor, Liberal and Nationals — Collected $3.1B in Government Construction, 41% Without Open Tender $3.1B Investigated
7 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
8 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
9 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
10 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
11 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
12 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
13 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
14 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
15 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
16 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
17 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
18 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
19 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
20 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
21 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
22 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
23 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
24 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
25 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
26 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
27 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
28 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
29 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
30 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
31 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
32 Coming Soon 🔜 Pending
$53.3B total waste identified — and counting $53.3B