SILosophy-Episode 26: Back to the future... What have we learnt over decades of group homes

Moving Into NDIS 2.0: The Future of Disability Housing with Joseph Conellen

As the NDIS undergoes massive structural shifts, the disability housing landscape is entering a brand-new era. What does the transition from the "golden age" of open-ended funding to strict budgetary controls mean for providers, participants, and community-based housing models?

In this insightful episode of SILosophy, host Tania Gomez is joined by Joseph Conellen, a disability housing expert with over 30 years of experience as a CEO, advocacy leader, government advisor, and community housing advocate. Having witnessed the tail-end of deinstitutionalization, Joseph offers a rare, long-term historical lens on the current reform environment, comparing today's sector disruption to major government interventions of past decades.

Together, Tania and Joseph unpack the economic realities of the scheme, the future of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and Supported Independent Living (SIL), the potential risks of high-density housing models, and how providers can survive the upcoming regulatory "winter."

Key Content Covered In This Episode:

• The Transition to NDIS 2.0: Why the scheme is shifting away from an unsustainable demand-driven model toward defined government budget controls.

• Market Realities & Monopsonies: How single-purchaser schemes create economic pressure on small and medium providers, and why gap-funding isn't a silver bullet.

• The Future of SDA & Basic Stock: Unpacking upcoming industry shocks, including grandfathered assessments, capacity reductions, and potential state government divestments.

• The Danger of Modern "Institutions": Examining high-density housing developments, 15-apartment single-site models, and why concentration without community integration poses long-term risks.

• Reforming SIL & Mandatory Registration: Why SIL housing has historically been under-regulated from a physical housing standpoint and what upcoming compliance checks will look like.

• The Commissioning Model: How government-managed commissioning could shape the top players in the disability housing space over the next 3 to 10 years.

• Navigating the "Seasons" of Reform: Strategic advice for boards, executives, and business owners on reducing overheads, surviving consolidation, and preparing for the next growth cycle.