Monash Law is helping to shape national NDIS reform
A new phase of reform for the National Disability Insurance Scheme is underway, and Monash Law is helping to shape what comes next.
Professor Joel Townsend, Director of Monash Law Clinics, has been appointed to the Technical Advisory Group for NDIS functional capacity (TAG) guiding changes to how Australians access the NDIS. His role brings legal insight into a process that is often experienced by people with disability as complex, inconsistent and difficult to navigate.
Mark Butler MP, Minister For Health and Ageing and Minister For Disability and NDIS, will co-convene the TAG with ACT Minister for Disability, Carers and Community Services Suzanne Orr.
The group met for the first time in early July, 2026. It will provide advice to governments on how functional capacity should be assessed in a way that is fair, consistent and grounded in evidence.
Legal expertise grounded in lived systems
Joel Townsend’s work sits at the intersection of law, public policy and community need. His appointment reflects years spent working within and alongside the systems that many NDIS participants rely on.
Before joining Monash, he spent nearly 15 years at Victoria Legal Aid. During that time, he worked across social security, tenancy, mental health and NDIS-related matters, both as a practitioner and in leadership roles. His experience includes work on significant public interest litigation and complex administrative law issues.
That background gives him a practical understanding of how legal frameworks operate in real lives. It also informs his approach to reform, with a focus on fairness, clarity and accessibility.
Townsend’s involvement in NDIS matters has extended from decision-making processes through to appeals and Federal Court proceedings. This depth of experience positions him well to contribute meaningfully to conversations about how eligibility is defined and assessed.
Strengthening fairness in access to the NDIS
The Technical Advisory Group has been established in response to concerns identified in the NDIS Review. The review found that current access pathways can be inconsistent and do not always reflect the scheme’s original intention.
Rather than determining individual access decisions, the group will focus on designing the framework that underpins them. This includes advising on how to assess substantially reduced functional capacity, what evidence should be required, and how thresholds should be set.
Townsend’s contribution brings a legal perspective to these questions. His work in administrative law places particular emphasis on transparency and accountability in decision-making processes.
For many participants and families, access decisions can shape long-term outcomes. Ensuring those decisions are made consistently and fairly remains a central challenge.
Connecting law, policy and community impact
At Monash Law, Joel Townsend leads a clinical program that is closely connected to the communities it serves. Monash Law Clinics provides legal assistance across a wide range of areas while also preparing students for practice through hands-on experience.
This model reflects a broader commitment to access to justice. It also informs how staff engage with national reform efforts.
Through initiatives such as the Justice Bus, Townsend has worked to expand legal access in regional and underserved communities across Victoria. The Justice Bus program brings legal knowledge directly to communities, adapting to local needs and encouraging active participation.
That same focus on practical impact carries into his work with the Technical Advisory Group. The aim is not only to design systems that work in theory, but to ensure they function effectively for the people who rely on them.
A collaborative approach to reform
The Technical Advisory Group draws together experts from clinical, research and policy backgrounds. Its work will be informed by consultation with people with disability, families, carers and the broader sector.
This collaborative model reflects the complexity of the task. Reforming access to the NDIS requires both technical expertise and a deep understanding of lived experience.
Joel Townsend’s role contributes to that balance. His career has been shaped by engagement with community legal services, government processes and public debate on law reform.
He has also played a role in broader national conversations, including work connected to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme, where Monash Law researchers contributed analysis that was cited in the final report.
Looking ahead
The Technical Advisory Group will deliver its advice in stages through 2026, with further work continuing into 2027.
For Monash Law, Joel Townsend’s involvement highlights the faculty’s ongoing contribution to national policy development. It also reflects a commitment to ensuring that legal expertise is applied in ways that directly benefit the community. Through his role, Townsend brings a perspective shaped by years of working with people navigating those systems, and a clear focus on fairness in how they are designed.