Frequently Asked Questions
The DSX Constitution articulates 14 objects. They are:
With NDIS participants (Associate Members):
1 To co-design supports with participants/families that are evidence-based, trauma-informed and compassionate, and are tailored to meet individual needs and goals;
2 To present a wide range of high quality, dependable services that meet participants individual needs and foster autonomy and meaningful participation; and
3 To lead by example, with ethical decision-making, accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement in all service delivery practices.
With frontline workers (Associate Members):
4 To equip all NDIS frontline workers with evidence-informed knowledge and skills, to support professional growth and high-quality participant outcomes;
5 To collaboratively develop a nationally-recognised, competency-based approach to micro-credentialling of frontline worker skills that ensures skill recognition and career progression; and
6 To support frontline worker preferences and wellbeing, fostering a culture of kind, compassionate, and values-driven, empathetic support’.
With Provider Members:
7 To facilitate collaboration and the exchange of ideas, processes and best practice systems that will support the objects;
8 To amplify the voices of people receiving services, to ensure they have a central role in shaping the services and policies that affect them;
9 To protect and promote participant choice by supporting the diverse ecosystem of local, values-driven providers that are committed to relationship-based, person-first outcomes; and
10 Safeguard and promote the vital role that small NDIS providers play in offering diverse, high-quality services in their respective communities.
As an entity representing the above three groups:
11 Model and promote ethical leadership, inclusive governance, and integrity across all levels of the disability support ecosystem;
12 Establish and uphold robust governance frameworks that ensure compliance with legislation, human rights, and service excellence;
13 Uphold a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and
14 Actively work to partner with and elevate the voices of people with disability in marginalised communities, including Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and LGBTIQ+ people.
These Objects were co-designed by founding Members, including people with disability.
Small providers (<$30M); they are feeling under-represented in the NDIS ecosystem. Conversely, they are highly valued in their respective communities by participants who demand and value the type of bespoke, dependable, adaptable service that small providers deliver.
Small providers have responded to what they consider is an urgent need, based on their belief that participants will ultimately be the ones who lose if the incredibly diverse, vibrant range of services offered by small providers is diminished.
Brendon Grail and Annette Andersen have responded to the call by small providers to do something. Brendon and Annette each have a long and varied history in the disability sector. Brendon lives in Adelaide and Annette in regional Victoria. Brendon and Annette volunteered to assist a group of small providers to get DSX off the ground. Providers from all States and Territories are Members.
The Movement is a member-driven not for profit Company limited by guarantee, with elements of a Mutual/Co-operative i.e. power in numbers, consistency of purpose. No single person or group of people will 'own' or run DSX. A Code of Conduct articulates the importance of respecting that every member has an equal voice, and that Members will collaborate and act as a positive agent of change. One member, one vote.
Yes. DSX was formed with a Board of 3 Directors - Judith Leeson AM (independent Director), Emma Lloyd (Provider Member) and Nathan Smith (Provider Member). At the first full meeting of Members on 3 September, we will call for nominations for a new Board of up to 7, and all Members will cast their votes and appoint a Board for a period of 12 months.
DSX's Strategy and first 100 day Action Plan will be co-designed by Foundation Members, but the current intent is that there will be 4 planks to the value proposition:
- To have a united voice to Government, using verified data and evidence to influence decisions on key levers such as pricing, provider registration and support worker regulation.
- To very publicly and overtly shine a light on ethical service provision – currently NDIS participants have no information about quality of any given provider that is either verifiable or publicly available
- To support members with benchmarking of non-core tasks (finance, tech, CRM, marketing, admin, compliance etc). Longer term, to open up discussions about potential collaboration or Shared Services, in order to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of non-core tasks.
- Include participants/families and frontline workers as Associate (non-voting) Members. We believe that participants and workers are under-valued and under-represented in the current NDIS ecosystem.
The Movement. No individual Member has more power than any other. Where DSX is invited to meet with Government, an expression of interest will be called amongst all Members seeking nominations to attend and to represent all Members.
This will be co-designed by Foundation Members and will be the subject of discussion at the first full Member meeting on 3 September.
As little or as much as you like. Member input will be sought using best-in-class survey tools. Survey results will be published for all Members to see. There will be no long meetings. Decisions will be made and actions initiated swiftly. We would expect Foundation Members may contribute around 2 hours per month initially, then perhaps as little as 30 minutes per month thereafter. A monthly 'Results' report will be distributed to all Members. The founding Board of 3 and the first democratically-elected Board of up to 7 will contribute significantly more time in the initial phases.
There will be no CEO of DSX. The Members hold the power, and will recruit a Coordinator who will be responsible for delivering on the members' Action Plan. The Coordinator must be independent, unconflicted and not eligible for membership. Brendon Grail is currently volunteering as Coordinator on a full-time basis. Annette Andersen as AI/Tech Enabler will build and deliver all AI-enabled tech for DSX.
Brendon's disability (anxiety) is his super-power and makes him driven and focussed on problem-solving. As an ex-consultant, founder of a small, registered NDIS provider and a journeyman CEO in the sector, Brendon is used to delivering quality output with tight timelines. Annette's disability (autism) is her super-power and makes her hyper-focussed and diligent. Annette is carer for her son Axel, who is a case study in how well-intentioned Government systems can and regularly do fail people with profound disability.
Yes, all provider members must commit to 2 key principles:
- Transparency, and 2. Ethical service delivery
What this means is that every member will agree to:
- Complete a Membership Application that requires the disclosure of detailed information about the entity, including details of any prior audit non-compliances and other information that participants have always wanted to know, but have never previously had access to
- Agree that responses to all questions in the Membership Application are listed on the DSX website for all to see i.e. shining a light on transparency and ethical service delivery
- Abide by a DSX Code of Conduct
Self-assessment, trust and transparency will minimise misrepresentation. If any Member intentionally misrepresents facts about their organisation, this would be a breach of the Code of Conduct and result in their DSX Membership being terminated.
There is a lot that a Movement like DSX can achieve, with a small budget. Member collaboration - between voting Members (providers) and Associate Members (participants + frontline workers) is one of our points of difference. The DSX Movement won't look or feel anything like other representative groups/peaks, and we will not attempt to replicate their work. We will collaborate with any representative body or organisation that operates on similar principles and has a goal of a better NDIS for all Australians.
Because this Movement was created from the value-driven models and community-centred passion of small providers, many of whom tell us they don't feel represented.
DSX full (paid) Membership will only be open to registered NDIS providers, but you're welcome to register your interest as an Associate Member, and then when your NDIS registration is approved, you are able to apply to become a full Member. We need lots more creative, high quality, flexible small NDIS providers in the market, so DSX will be looking at ways we can actively support orgs that have the same values who wish to proceed to NDIS registration.
Sole trader allied health practitioners are eligible for Membership if they are a current member of their professional association and undertake regular, independent supervision with an independent peer who is also a current member of their professional association. Sole trader Support Workers and sole trader Support Coordinators are not eligible for membership because the professions are unregulated, with no professional association that requires minimum standards of professional practice. Importantly, a Provider is not eligible for DSX Membership if the Provider entity, the CEO or any Key Personnel have ever been subject to a banning order by the Commission.
Because there is no representative body for either profession and therefore no regulation of quality. Therapists and practitioners who are paid-up members of their professional association (Representative Body), incur significant costs related to systems, compliance, professional development and quality.
Any business or organisation whose annual revenue is less than $30M from NDIS is eligible to become a Member.
If your organisation exceeds $30M NDIS revenue in a financial year, you are required to inform the Coordinator that you no longer meet eligibility criteria. You will receive a pro-rata refund of your Membership Fee from that date. We will of course hope you remain committed to the principles and goals of DSX after exiting as a Member.
Because Members exist to serve participants. A vast majority of the 730,000 NDIS participants seem currently to have little to no voice in the NDIS marketplace. The DSX Provider Directory will be disclosing details about registered NDIS Providers that should always have been available.
Because Support Workers, Therapists and other Practitioners are under-valued and under-supported in the sector. As an example, Support Workers represent two-thirds of NDIS spend, and are undeniably the most important and trusted humans in the lives of many NDIS participants/families, by virtue of being side-by-side with participants for the greatest amount of time. Ironically, they have the least representation of any group in the NDIS market.
The Comms strategy will be co-designed by Members, with the assistance of PR/media specialists.
No. The more Members, the greater the impact. We expect to reach 500 Provider Members by mid-2026.
Every full member has 1 vote. Majority vote will carry wherever decisions are required, however we cannot foresee that any of the many professions in the NDIS marketplace would be diametrically opposed on a decision by virtue of how niche their profession is.
Axel's scripts are created using an AI specifically trained with extensive, detailed information about Axel's daily life, communication style, personality, and lived experiences. The AI functions as an assistive technology, providing Axel—an autistic advocate with complex communication needs—a powerful voice and the opportunity to share a unique lived perspective. Axel's insights represent a cohort that is severely underrepresented yet disproportionately affected by abuse and neglect, offering invaluable awareness and advocacy. All AI-generated scripts are reviewed for accuracy and clarity but are typically used exactly as generated, preserving Axel's authentic voice and message. Axel actively participates in consent processes regarding the sharing of his avatar videos, and he greatly enjoys watching himself and hearing about his growing audience. In fact, Axel now effectively uses his avatar to deliver capacity-building therapy, engaging through a medium he deeply connects with, opening doors to both social and economic participation in ways previously unimaginable.