Nottle and National Disability Insurance Agency

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered an application by Mr Nottle for review of a decision made by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) regarding his statement of participant supports. The core of the dispute concerned whether funding for the training of a hearing assistance dog constituted a "reasonable and necessary support" under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the NDIA's decision to refuse funding for the hearing assistance dog training was the correct and preferable decision. This involved assessing the applicant's circumstances and whether the proposed support met the legislative criteria for being considered reasonable and necessary, as defined by the *National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013* (Cth).

The Tribunal found that the NDIA had failed to adequately consider the evidence presented by Mr Nottle regarding the potential benefits of a hearing assistance dog in mitigating the impact of his hearing impairment on his daily life and community participation. The Tribunal noted that the NDIA's decision-making process did not sufficiently engage with the specific needs and goals articulated by the applicant. Consequently, the Tribunal set aside the NDIA's decision and remitted the matter back to the NDIA for reconsideration, with directions to properly assess the evidence and the criteria for reasonable and necessary supports.