An investigation by the Herald Sun has revealed a growing online market for ready-to-operate NDIS businesses, some being sold for as little as $45,000. These companies are advertised on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree as “turnkey” opportunities, allowing buyers to start trading immediately without prior experience or qualifications in disability support.
These so-called “cleanskin” businesses often come with full registrations, documentation, and compliance paperwork, giving new owners instant access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s most lucrative services. Sellers promote them as a way to bypass lengthy government application processes, which can take up to 18 months and require extensive documentation.
While the NDIS was created to provide life-changing support for Australians with permanent disabilities, the scheme’s size, at more than $52 billion annually, has attracted operators more focused on profit than participant wellbeing. Some sellers even suggest that clients with larger funding packages are more profitable, with the highest earnings linked to participants requiring significant and ongoing care.
The Herald Sun found that in many cases, sellers made no inquiries about a buyer’s experience in the disability sector or their intentions for running the business. Of ten sellers contacted, only one raised concerns about the quality of care for participants.
The investigation also uncovered allegations of questionable auditing practices. Whistleblowers claim some consultants promise to get providers through the NDIS audit process by creating flawless paperwork, supplying scripted answers, or even arranging for sympathetic auditors willing to overlook non-compliance in exchange for payment. Some auditors reportedly allow providers to choose which participants are assessed, making it easier to hide poor practices.
Industry leaders, including National Disability Services CEO Michael Perusco, have warned that quality providers often operate at negative margins, making these high-profit promises unrealistic without cutting corners. Former NDIS auditors told the Herald Sun that the system’s paper-based standards make it possible to “guarantee” a pass for providers willing to pay for it.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has stated it is monitoring providers who register but do not actively deliver services, and that any breaches of the NDIS Code of Conduct will result in compliance action.
The revelations have prompted calls for stronger oversight and tighter regulation to ensure that NDIS businesses prioritise participant welfare over profit and that the scheme remains focused on its original mission of supporting Australians with disability.
