I worked in a couple of the old institutions for a few years. they virtually a prison. people have no choices and the institutionalisation of their lifestyle increased their disability, due to the prevailing paradigm of keeping people unable to communicate coherently, and prevented them from developing.
a great many have since developed far beyond what was expected at the time and some hold authoritative positions in govt, in business and in academia. these people would have remained in institutions their whole lives (literally)..... from the cradle to the grave.
the NDIS certainly isn't perfect and probably never will be, but the benefits to the country, the reduced cost of keeping people dependent, the income they can now earn from their intelligence alone results in taxes being paid instead.
autism is a great difficulty, the estimate of how many people have the traits keeps changing, mostly rising as definitions change. this leads to some parents chasing a diagnosis for their child so they can claim benefits that reduce the cost to the family for extras. this is the Govt going for a popular feel-good assistance which tried to 'make these people perfect'.
many of the problems go back to the administration cost reductions sought by Abbott, eg. carers and professional submitting invoices and being paid out automatically, without due scrutiny of the amounts being the right value or even that the services were even provided.
and to any who grumble about mentioning Abbott, its a time reference.
