Arrival and Registration  

Welcome and Introductions 

As the NDIS continues to refine and tighten definitions around Short-Term Respite (STR) and Medium-Term Accommodation (MTA), the boundaries between respite, transitional housing, and long-term Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) have become increasingly rigid.

In 2025–2026, STR is now firmly positioned as a respite-only support model, while MTA is being interpreted more strictly as a time-limited bridge to a defined housing outcome.

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This tightening regulatory environment has created a critical “missing middle” in the housing system -where providers are unable to flexibly use vacant SDA stock to meet emerging psychosocial and disability-related housing demand.

At the same time, participants continue to experience delays in accessing SDA, leaving both unmet demand and underutilised infrastructure in the system.

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This session explores the evolving policy landscape governing STR and MTA, and the practical implications for SDA providers  

It examines where flexibility has been reduced, where interpretation is tightening in practice, and what this means for vacancy management, transitional housing pathways, and system efficiency.

Delegates will gain a clearer understanding of the emerging constraints and the structural gap between short-term supports and long-term SDA, and why this gap is now one of the most pressing housing challenges in the disability sector.

Data from South Australia highlights a significant under-supply of modern, suitable SDA, particularly outside metropolitan Adelaide.

This session explores strategies for aligning SDA supply with local demand, including investment opportunities in regional areas and the transition from older stock to purpose-built, accessible housing.

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Discussion points include:

• Identifying areas of unmet need across SA, including regional towns and underserved metropolitan suburbs.

• Designing and delivering Robust and Fully Accessible SDA dwellings aligned with participant requirements and NDIA standards.

• Engaging with local councils to ensure compliance with 2026–2030 DAIP requirements and leveraging community partnerships.

• Opportunities for investors to balance social impact with financial viability in high-demand regions.

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Attendees will leave with evidence-based strategies to expand SDA supply where it is most needed, optimise investment impact, and support participants’ access to high-quality, inclusive housing.

Q & A  

Morning tea 

The Federal Government’s latest NDIS reform agenda, outlined by Minister Mark Butler, signals a decisive shift toward sustainability, tighter access, and stronger cost controls—fundamentally reshaping the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) landscape.

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With participant growth now being actively moderated and funding for certain supports being reset closer to 2023 levels, future SDA demand is expected to become more targeted.

Access will increasingly prioritise participants with significant and enduring functional impairment, narrowing the prospective tenant pool while increasing complexity of need.

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At the same time, the delay of Support Needs Assessments to April 2027, alongside the rollout of standardised functional assessments, introduces a transitional period of uncertainty. Providers may experience slower approvals, shifting eligibility thresholds, and reduced visibility over pipeline demand.

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Further, the Government’s focus on curbing “runaway spend”—particularly across high-cost supports such as Supported Independent Living and community participation-signals tighter funding alignment across the ecosystem.

These changes are likely to have flow-on effects for SDA tenancy sustainability, participant affordability, and co-resident matching.

For providers, developers, and investors, this reform phase points to a more controlled, compliance-driven market.

Expanded regulatory oversight, strengthened registration requirements, and increased scrutiny on value-for-money will require sharper operational discipline and more robust evidence of outcomes.

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This session will unpack what these reforms mean for SDA demand, design strategy, investment risk, and long-term market stability -equipping stakeholders to reposition in a more selective, regulated, and performance-focused NDIS environment.

This session will explore the evolution of SDA housing models in Australia, with a focus on how integrated and scaled platforms are reshaping the market. 

It will examine the balance between investment structures, operational delivery, and Participant outcomes, and consider how providers can adapt to a rapidly consolidating sector while maintaining quality, compliance, and choice for participants.

This session provides a focused analysis of the Caterson decision and its significant regulatory and commercial implications for the Specialist Disability Accommodation  market.

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Following this decision of the Federal Court of Australia, the SDA Price Guide can no longer be viewed as a flexible or purely advisory instrument. Instead, it has taken on a far more determinative role—effectively elevating its status within the legal and funding framework that governs SDA pricing and payments.

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This shift signals a move away from interpretive discretion toward a more enforceable pricing structure, with the Court affirming the weight that must be given to the Price Guide in decision-making.

As a result, providers must now operate with heightened precision in how pricing is applied, justified, and documented.

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The session will unpack:

• The legal authority of the Federal Court and how the Caterson decision reshapes interpretation of the Price Guide

• Why the SDA Price Guide can no longer be treated as indicative or negotiable

• The implications for pricing certainty, participant contributions, and provider viability

• Emerging compliance expectations and the risk of retrospective scrutiny

• What this means for contract structuring, investor confidence, and market stability

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Attendees will gain clarity on how this development tightens the operating environment and what practical steps SDA providers, developers, and advisors must take to align with a more prescriptive and legally reinforced pricing regime.

Q & A and Panel  

Lunch 

The landscape of Specialist Disability Accommodation  is increasingly shaped by complex legal and advocacy challenges that affect participants, providers, and investors alike. As NDIS reforms roll out in 2026 -including changes to external appeal rights, administrative processes, and regulatory enforcement—understanding these challenges is critical to maintaining safe, compliant, and sustainable housing outcomes.

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This session will explore the practical implications of these reforms for SDA participants and providers, with a focus on how changes to decision-making and review processes are being experienced across the sector.

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Key Areas Covered

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• Accessing and Appealing SDA Funding Decisions

• Planned changes to external review mechanisms (AAT/ART) may reduce participants’ ability to obtain legally enforceable reconsideration of their funding. This has significant implications, including:

• Reduced avenues for review and appeal of SDA funding decisions

• Potential delays in accessing appropriate housing and essential supports

• Increased uncertainty for providers in relation to funding continuity and operational planning

Administrative Appeals and Participant Burden

Many participants currently represent themselves in appeals while the NDIA engages external legal counsel, creating structural inequities
Limited advocacy capacity can result in participants diverting time and plan resources away from frontline supports
The emotional and practical burden on participants and families highlights gaps in accessible support pathways

In 2026, the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA) increased focus on payment integrity and pre‑payment review controls is creating a new operational reality for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) providers, investors, and participants alike.

While safeguards like enhanced fraud prevention and claim verification are designed to protect the long‑term sustainability of the NDIS, they have also led to more frequent payment holds and longer processing times, with legitimate claims sometimes delayed for days or even weeks before funds are released.

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For investors, prolonged payment holds can distort projected cash flows, elevate financing costs, and undermine confidence in revenue stability - especially for investment models reliant on regular Supported Independent Living and SDA payments.

For SDA providers, slower or withheld payments introduce acute cashflow risk, forcing many to self‑finance operations, delay staff payments, or absorb expenses while waiting for clearance.

This creates a tangible threat to market participation, particularly for smaller providers with limited liquidity.

For Participants, payment holds risk interruptions to essential supports and complicate relationships with plan managers or service providers.

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This session will unpack why payment holds are occurring - including heightened NDIA compliance protocols, more rigorous pre‑payment audit processes, and the integration challenges of new claims systems - and explore strategies to navigate integrity controls without compromising financial viability or client outcomes.

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Attendees will gain insight into:

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• The drivers behind NDIA payment holds and how they fit into broader fraud prevention and integrity frameworks

• Cashflow risk implications for SDA investments and operational planning

• Practical steps SDA providers and investors can take to anticipate, manage, and mitigate payment delays

• Approaches to strengthen communication with the NDIA and plan managers to reduce payment uncertainty

Q & A and Panel  

Afternoon break 

In 2026, transitional accommodation plays a structured and increasingly formalised role in supporting NDIS participants who are moving between care environments but are not yet ready for permanent housing solutions such as SDA or Supported Independent Living 

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Recent NDIA guideline clarifications have strengthened the role of Medium-Term Accommodation (MTA) and Short-Term Accommodation (STA) as planned, time-limited supports - particularly for participants exiting hospital, justice settings, or other temporary care arrangements where long-term housing decisions are still being assessed.

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This session focuses on pathway design and system coordination, rather than risk exposure, examining how transitional accommodation operates as part of an integrated housing continuum in South Australia.

Stable housing outcomes for NDIS participants rely on more than built infrastructure alone. Increasingly, SDA, SIL and allied health providers are recognising the importance of coordinated wraparound supports and cross-sector collaboration to improve participant wellbeing, maintain tenancy stability, prevent placement breakdowns, and reduce costly vacancies.

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This session explores how collaborative service delivery models between SDA providers, SIL providers, allied health professionals, support coordinators, hospitals, and community services can create more sustainable and person-centred housing outcomes for participants with complex needs.

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Discussion will focus on identifying early risks to tenancy disruption, improving communication and multidisciplinary collaboration between providers, supporting participants through behavioural, psychosocial, and transitional challenges, and ensuring continuity of care during periods of change or crisis.

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Attendees will gain insight into practical strategies for reducing participant interruptions, strengthening provider relationships, improving occupancy sustainability, and delivering integrated wraparound support models that enhance long-term wellbeing and housing stability across the SDA sector.

Networking on the ground floor and depart