Disability assessments and the algorithmic veil: lessons from the abandoned ‘independent assessments’ proposal for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Abstract

Standardised approaches to disability assessment or social security eligibility are not new. However, experiments in novel algorithmic approaches to assessment are beginning to appear. This article examines a proposed algorithmic assessment—dubbed ‘independent assessments’—under Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (‘NDIS’), which sought to narrow and standardise eligibility criteria for the Scheme. The proposal was ultimately abandoned following sustained public backlash. Yet, disability assessment will continue to face change and contestation, making it timely to consider the abandoned proposal, including through a rights-based lens. The ‘independent assessment’ proposal appear..