Live: Record number of 'shonks' banned from NDIS

A record number of so-called "shonks" have been banned from the National Disability Insurance Scheme this year, the federal government says.Follow all the updates on our live blog.Mon 17 Aug 2026 at 7:07amMon 17 Aug 2026 at 7:07amLabor senator opens up about postpartum anxiety as she pushes for health inquiryAs Marielle Smith gave birth to her son she felt like a "warrior" and marvelled at the "life-changing" miracle of having a child.But soon after this "amazing" experience followed a physically "excruciating" and mentally isolating one, as problems with breastfeeding led to postpartum anxiety.The South Australian Labor senator has decided to open up about these difficult early days of motherhood in the hopes of encouraging women around Australia to share their own experiences to help shape health reforms.Smith will be seeking support in the Senate this week to establish a select committee to examine postpartum healthcare in Australia.Women and their families would be invited to give evidence of their experiences after birth, including mental and physical health, breastfeeding and infant feeding support, physiotherapy and other allied healthcare services.The proposed inquiry, which is expected to be put to a vote on Tuesday would operate for 12 months and travel around Australia to hear from women in cities and regional areas.Read more of this story at the link below. Mon 17 Aug 2026 at 7:03amMon 17 Aug 2026 at 7:03amNDIS minister 'open' to further measures to crackdown on fraustersSticking with NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister, who is up and about early this morning on ABC's Radio National Breakfast. She's here to talk up the crackdown on fraudsters in the scheme. The minister says she's open to a conversation with the Coalition about what more can be done."If there are measures that we can introduce that will further strengthen the ability of the National Disability Insurance Agency to take on fraudsters, to put more mechanisms in place for enforcement around integrity, we are open to that conversation," she told ABC's Radio National Breakfast. The government is hoping it can strike a deal with the opposition to pass its reforms to the NDIS this week.McAllister says she's "confident there is an agreement to be reached here".Debate on the proposal will kick off in the Senate today.Mon 17 Aug 2026 at 6:54amMon 17 Aug 2026 at 6:54amRecord number of 'shonks' banned from NDISA record number of so-called "shonks" have been banned from the National Disability Insurance Scheme this year, the federal government says.Between April and June this year, the NDIS' Quality and Standards Commission issued 111 banning orders to individuals, registered providers and unregistered providers.The registration of around 450 existing providers were also revoked by the commission."Every year, we are reviewing more claims, receiving more tip-offs, conducting more investigations, handing down more banning orders, referring more matters to the police and prosecuting more fraudsters," NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister said in a statement.It comes as negotiations between the government and the Coalition on its planned NDIS overhaul is expected to continue this week.Mon 17 Aug 2026 at 6:45amMon 17 Aug 2026 at 6:45amGood morning 👋Hello! Welcome to our politics live blog. I'm Courtney Gould from the ABC's Parliament House team, here to guide you through the day.The sun is rising over Canberra this morning for another sitting week. The government is hoping it can secure the support it needs to pass its overhaul to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and gambling advertising legislation.Elsewhere, it's a bit of a case of Western Australia vs. every other state (and the Productivity Commission) after the PC called the 2018 deal a "costly mistake".My friends, we've got a bumper morning ahead of us on the radio/morning television rounds so let's just jump straight in.