The following list shows A4's recent advocacy. This list contains both publications (including briefs and submissions) and communications (letters & emails).

To find a (free) disability advocate to help you, try:

NDIS - response to "BCBAs and the NDIS pricelist"

By convenor |

MC18-002124

Mr Bob Buckley
Convenor
Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) convenor@a4.org.au

Dear Mr Buckley

Thank you for your email of 11 August 2018 to the former Minister for Social Services, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and registered behavioural clinicians. Your correspondence has been referred to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) for reply. I apologise for the delay in responding.

key message - A4 and NDIA meeting, 4 July 2018

By convenor |

Bob Buckley, A4 Convenor, met with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Chairman, Dr Helen Nugent AO, and NDIA CEO, Robert De Luca, along with Ms Vicki Rundle and Mr Peter De Natris, at the NDIA’s Canberra office on 4th July 2018. Mary Mallet, DANA CEO, also attended.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss how to improve outcomes substantially for autistic people of all ages, including children.

In relation to children, this includes:

A future without violence for people with disability

By convenor |

Disability Discrimination Commissioner Alastair McEwin released a report today, A Future Without Violence: Quality, safeguarding and oversight to prevent and address violence against people with disability in institutional settings.

Commissioner McEwin said that violence against people with disability in institutional settings is a significant social policy issue in Australia.

Children with disability face deep-seated discrimination in Victorian schools, Monash University report shows

By bobb |

Victorian children with disability continue to experience discrimination, exclusion and disadvantage in mainstream government schools, according to a report by the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University.

Sarah Joseph, Director of the Castan Centre, said that while the Victorian Government has taken positive steps in recent years to improve educational outcomes for students with disability, shortcomings persist, potentially breaching children’s rights under Victorian and Commonwealth human rights and anti-discrimination laws.

Victoria: Art Competition

By bobb |

VPSC is holding an art competition for people with disability. We’d love for you to help us promote it.

The winning artwork will feature on the Victorian public sector’s first ever Disability Employment Action Plan. VPSC is developing the action plan in close consultation with government departments, agencies and offices. The plan is a collective commitment by the sector to provide flexible and sustainable employment for people of all abilities, lifting representation to 6% by 2020.

FoI: NDIA website mistake

By bobb |

Dear Mr Buckley

Re: FOI 17/18-285

Thank you for your email.

I can confirm that the Agency has received your below Freedom of Information (FOI) request and please find attached correspondence in relation to that request.

I can also confirm that the Agency has received five other requests from you seeking information under FOI, dated between 22 May 2018 and today, and will be providing responses in due course.

Timeframe for acknowledging requests

response to Angela Shanahan’s misguided article

By bobb |

Heidi Brandis

In response to Angela Shanahan’s misguided article in the Weekend Australian, I wrote this to the editor of the paper last night:



Dear Editor

Hoping you can assist - I’m in a quandary as to which of Angela Shanahan’s myriad misguided, incorrect, offensive and ignorant comments to address first? (“On spectrum of needs, NDIS should axe ASD”, 26 May).



Let’s address each one: