Behold! A work of raw artistic genius. A bold fusion of modernist absurdism and functional despair. A piece that asks more questions than it answers.
I present: “Restricted Supports in a Cage of Bureaucracy.”
Medium:
Repurposed dreamweaver strands (symbolizing the unattainable hopes and aspirations of an NDIS participant)
A wire-framed lamp (representing the harsh spotlight placed on disabled people who dare to need help)
A humble clothes hanger (a nod to the tangled mess of red tape I navigate daily)
Strategic lighting (because, much like my NDIS plan, illumination is purely decorative and offers no real function)
💡 Inspiration:
I wanted to capture the essence of what it feels like to be an autistic NDIS participant whose support package mysteriously shrinks the moment their mum speaks to the media. Art therapy? Gone. Therapy that could improve my well-being? Not “reasonable and necessary.” Creativity? Not on Bill Shorten’s watch.
But let’s be real—the National Disability Insurance Agency has never been a fan of joy. Enjoyment is not a recognized support need. If I want to express myself artistically, I’d better be prepared to:
❌ Fill out a 57-page form proving my art isn’t too enjoyable
❌ Justify how creative expression builds capacity (spoiler: it does, but only if the government can package it in a cost-saving report)
❌ Defend against accusations of fraud, because apparently, autistic people doing anything remotely pleasurable must be scamming the system
WHERE IT ALL WENT WRONG:
Turns out, my biggest mistake was not using NDIS-approved art materials. If I had painted a compliance-approved government portrait using nothing but NDIS-provided continence pads and a broken wheelchair footrest, I might have had a shot at funding. But no—I had to go and use a clothes hanger.
AND NOW?
Well, after reading a story about the NDIS spot-auditing parents for questioning reassessments, we’re starting to think this could be part of a bold new coercive control strategy. Extremely effective—except for one fatal flaw:
The NDIS has underestimated my artistic genius.
They can take away my therapy, my funding, my ability to purchase literally anything that might improve my quality of life—but they can’t take away my ability to turn everyday objects into high-concept protest art.
So, if any NDIS officials are reading this, please note: Axel is now an internationally recognized, fully self-funded conceptual artist. My next masterpiece will be titled “How Many Years Do I Have to Wait for a Review?”
Coming soon to a tribunal hearing near you.
#NDISPTSD #ArtWithoutFunding #ReasonableAndNecessaryButNotApproved #AbstractExpressionismOrCryForHelp #AxelVsTheNDIS #NDIS #PWD
