Sing and National Disability Insurance Agency

This matter concerned an application by Ms Sing, a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), for review of a decision by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Ms Sing, who uses a wheelchair due to paraplegia, sought funding for sports and exercise physiologist support to attend gym sessions and for tennis coaching. She participates in competitive wheelchair tennis and volunteers to promote sport for people with disabilities. The dispute centred on whether the requested supports were "reasonable and necessary" under the NDIS framework.

The court was required to determine whether the supports sought by Ms Sing related to her disability, as mandated by rule 5.1(b) of the NDIS Supports for Participants Rules 2013. Furthermore, the court had to consider whether these supports constituted "reasonable and necessary" supports pursuant to section 34(1) of the National Disability Insurance Act 2013, including whether they represented value for money. The NDIA contended that the supports were not related to Ms Sing's disability.

The Senior Member found that neither of the supports sought by Ms Sing satisfied the criteria under section 34(1) of the Act. Consequently, it was unnecessary to consider the remaining criteria within section 34(1) in relation to the requested supports. The decision under review was affirmed.