Dane’s payout for historical sexual abuse meant the NDIS slashed his funding. He and his mum are fighting back

Dane Waites can no longer afford the support services that have helped him to live independently. Photograph: Rachel Mounsey/The Guardian

Four months ago, Dane Waites sat down at his dining room table. On a single piece of lined paper, pressed against a dark red tablecloth, he penned an urgent plea for help.

Waites was born with severe intellectual disability and received support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.