President of People with Disabilities Australia, Craig Wallace, said there was a "real loss of voice" for such people since Graeme Innes wasn't replaced by a full-time disability discrimination commissioner when left the Human Rights Commission last year.

A dedicated minister was needed to focus on issues specific to people with disabilities, including higher levels of unemployment and the decline in the number of carers available for informal support: "There is always a long queue to see any minister. The fact is that queue is going to be a lot longer."

The change comes as the legislation underpinning the NDIS is being reviewed, including whether it needs to be changed to ensure it can "control costs". Mr Turnbull last week signed bilateral agreements with Victoria and NSW to ensure the scheme was rolled out, which advocates saw as a sign the scheme was still a priority for his government.



Mr Innes, now a chairman for disability group Attitude Foundation, said Mr Fifield had "worked hard" to ensure the scheme was adequately funded in his time in the portfolio.

"It will be harder to wind back costs now because there'll be federal and state commitments locked in but the fact that the review is considering questions (of costs show) that it is still risk."