_edited.png)
The Voldemort Defence
- Peter Gregory
- Apr 25
- 1 min read
The Voldemort Defence
Why Group Homes Are Necessary for “The Greater Good”
Abstract:
On 22nd April 2026 Minister Mark Butler stood before the National Press Club and revealed the changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) being proposed by the Australian Government. This speech sent shock waves through the disability community. Emerging from the plethora of justifications emerged a common theme: These changes are necessary for the greater good.
This essay critically examines the contemporary justification for congregate disability living arrangements, particularly group homes, through the “Voldemort Defence”, a moral and policy logic that legitimises individual harm in the name of collective necessity. Situated within the evolving policy architecture of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the essay argues that increasing reliance on shared support models reflects a structural prioritisation of fiscal sustainability over individual rights. Drawing on disability theory, human rights frameworks, particularly Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and critiques of institutionalisation, the essay shows how technocratic language obscures the re-emergence of congregate care. It contends that the “greater good” framing functions as a moral shield, normalising inequitable outcomes and redistributing harm onto those with the highest support needs. The essay concludes that this logic represents a fundamental departure from the original intent of the NDIS and raises serious questions about Australia’s compliance with its human rights obligations.
Read the full essay here.
Comments