What’s happening?
A new report from Kismet shows mixed results for North Queensland under the NDIS.
The Kismet Care Index is a local snapshot of how well the NDIS is actually working in a community, built to give families, providers and policymakers clear evidence on where access translates into real support and where people are still falling through the cracks.
Based on averages across Leichhardt, Kennedy, Dawson, Capricornia and Herbert, North Queensland recorded a Care Index score of 79.87. If treated as one market, it would rank about 77th out of 148 electorates nationally, slightly below the national median.
Why it matters
At Kismet, leaders often speak about the “Good” and “Bad” NDIS. They say innovation and efficiency rely on better use of data.
The company says too many NDIS decisions are made without strong data. The Care Index was created to better explain how the scheme is functioning at a local level.
Kismet CEO and co-founder Mark Woodland said, “North Queensland’s results show that regional performance can’t be painted with a single brush. We’re seeing standout outcomes in some electorates, alongside serious challenges in others. That variation tells us where the system is working and where people are being left to navigate complexity without enough support.”
He added, “Without connection, there is no real choice and control. The Care Index gives communities, support coordinators and policymakers the evidence they need to focus effort where it will make the biggest difference.”
Local impact
Kismet says its goal is to connect the physical and digital worlds.
The Townsville event on Tuesday, 17 February at Townsville RSL is designed as a practical step. By bringing providers, coordinators, carers and participants into one room, real relationships can form.
Participants can discover available services, understand their options and leave with tangible next steps. Through Kismet’s broader ecosystem, those connections can continue beyond the event itself.
For North Queensland families, the message is simple. Funding alone is not enough. Clear pathways, trusted connections and coordinated support make the difference.
By the numbers
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North Queensland’s average Care Index score is 79.87, placing it around 77th out of 148 electorates nationally if assessed as one region.
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Average plan utilisation across the region is 54.5 per cent, ranking 96th nationally. This means many participants have approved funding but are not fully using it.
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Service gap times average 4.62 days, ranked 94th nationally, while supplier concentration ranks 42nd, suggesting provider stability where services are available.
Leichhardt ranks first nationally on the Care Index. Dawson and Capricornia sit in the bottom quartile, with utilisation as low as 47 per cent and 46 per cent.
Zoom in
For Townsville and the wider North Queensland region, the single most important insight is clear.
The region sits slightly below the national median, with utilisation around 54.5 per cent. Many participants have funding approved but still struggle to turn that into consistent, usable support.
Kismet says in regional areas, the biggest barrier is not always the absence of services. It is the difficulty in finding and coordinating the right providers.
When services are fragmented or hard to navigate, funding can sit unused. Connection and coordination are just as critical as availability.
Zoom out
The findings come as Townsville prepares to host Ready-Set-Connect on Tuesday, 17 February 202,6 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at Townsville RSL, 139 Charters Towers Rd, Hermit Park.
Triple Paralympian and Head of Events at Ready-Set-Connect, Don Elgin, said the event directly responds to the challenges highlighted in the data.
“In regional communities, connection is essential,” Elgin said. “The Care Index shows us where people are missing out, often not because services don’t exist, but because they’re hard to find, hard to navigate, or hard to trust.
“Ready-Set-Connect brings everyone into the same room so relationships can form. And now that it’s part of the Kismet ecosystem, those connections don’t stop when the event ends. People gain ongoing access to a broader national marketplace of supports.”
Ready-Set-Connect supports more than 140 grassroots events each year and connects a network of more than 18,000 contacts nationally.
What to look for next?
Attention will turn to whether stronger local coordination lifts utilisation rates across Townsville and nearby electorates.
The 17 February 2026 Ready-Set-Connect event will test whether direct, face-to-face connections can help turn approved plans into real support on the ground.
