In a bold move to highlight alleged abuses within Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), two independent investigative journalists have uncovered what they claim is blatant overcharging by service providers. Social media commentator Drew Pavlou and YouTube investigator Pete Zogoulas conducted an undercover operation targeting a Sydney-based cleaning company registered with the NDIS. Their findings have sparked renewed debate about the integrity of the multi-billion-dollar scheme designed to support people with disabilities.
Pavlou and Zogoulas, who have been probing NDIS-related issues for several months, began their investigation after speaking with a whistleblower from the cleaning sector. The insider revealed how easy it was to exploit the system, including charging double rates when cleaning for multiple NDIS participants sharing a space. “I know I’m ripping them off,” the whistleblower admitted in a recorded conversation. They also explained that providers often imposed a minimum two-hour charge, even for jobs lasting just 30 minutes.
To test these claims, the journalists set up a sting operation. Zogoulas booked an Airbnb unit in a Sydney suburb, deliberately leaving it mostly tidy with only a few towels on the floor. Posing as the carer for an NDIS participant, he hired the cleaning service for what was described as a quick job. “The time starts now. Let’s see how long they take to actually clean that room,” Zogoulas said as he observed from his car.
According to the pair, two cleaners arrived without any professional equipment, such as mops, cloths, or sprays. Instead, they reportedly used tissues found in the unit for wiping surfaces. The journalists timed the visit at around 25 minutes, noting that little actual cleaning was done; fingerprints remained on the fridge, mirrors were untouched, and used tissues were left in the bathroom bin. “They’ve taken 25 minutes… and now they’re leaving,” Zogoulas commented in real time.
The shock came with the invoice: $236.06 for two hours of work, including $116 for labour and $120 for non-labour costs like transport. “That’s 25 minutes… $236 for a 25 minute clean,” Pavlou reacted in disbelief. Zogoulas echoed the sentiment, calling the practice “beyond a joke” and highlighting how vulnerable NDIS participants might not challenge such charges. The company justified the bill by citing a supposed government-mandated two-hour minimum for NDIS jobs.
When confronted, the company director initially insisted on the minimum. “For cleaning it needs to be minimum 2 hours,” she said, claiming it was under NDIS rules. However, after the journalists pointed out that NDIS guidelines require accurate reporting with no such minimum, she backtracked. In a recorded exchange, she denied previously stating it was a rule, but the pair played back evidence: “I think for NDIS minimum 2 hours… that’s the rules, minimum 2 hours.” Faced with this, the director revised the invoice to $24.18, reflecting the actual time spent and scrapping the extra charges. “They took 90% of the bill away, which means they inflated my invoice by 10 times the amount,” Zogoulas noted.
The company disputes the account, stating that the caller refused to provide an NDIS number and agreed to the two-hour minimum during the booking on Australia Day. The owner acknowledged the lack of equipment due to the short notice but maintained the initial terms were accepted.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of concerns plaguing the NDIS. In early 2025, official figures showed that only 0.22 per cent of over 7,000 fraud reports led to prosecutions, with authorities citing overwhelmed legal systems. The federal government has pledged to intensify crackdowns on misuse, amid estimates that billions of dollars could be lost annually to fraudulent claims and over-servicing.
Pavlou and Zogoulas have extended their investigations beyond this case. They visited an NDIS provider in Fairfield that had been shut down for fraud, only to find it reopened days later under a new name. Their YouTube footage captured tense confrontations, including one staff member derogatorily referring to an investigator as “retarded” – a shocking remark from someone in the disability services sector.
To amplify their efforts, the duo launched a website called NDIS Exposed (ndisexposed.com), featuring video evidence from their probes and a petition urging action. The petition calls on Australian leaders to direct the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to launch an immediate investigation into NDIS abuses. It emphasises that such rorts not only drain taxpayer funds but also deprive those with disabilities of the support they deserve.
Pavlou summed up the urgency: “I’m just in disbelief that they wanted to charge almost $250 for barely 25 minutes of cleaning with no proper supplies. It’s alarming to think how many billions might be wasted through the scheme if this is typical practice.”
