This article by Professors Andrew Whitehouse and Mirko Uljarevic, from The University of Western Australia and The Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor David Trembath, from The Kids Research Institute Australia, was originally published in The Conversation on 14 May 2026.

Thinking about autism has evolved.

Just three decades ago, autism was a relatively rare and clearly defined condition, diagnosed in people with limited verbal language and highly repetitive behaviour.

People have been contacting A4 and other DROs with stories of their NDIS plans being cut when their circumstances have not changed. The NDIS says these reports are just annecdotal, denies it is happening, and ignores the issue. 

Since the start of the NDIS, no NDIS Minister has met A4, the only national DRO that represents people with severe and profound autism. These are the autistic Australians who are meant to remain in the NDIS once the new eligibility criteria come into effect.

Dear EAC Board

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) is disappointed and alarmed that EAC took a side on the issue of ABA (presumably meaning EIBI), a therapeutic application of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), through it's recent publication of anti-ABA articles authored by Ms Sarah Langston. In particular, we refer to https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/thriving-kids-position-statement/ that says misleadingly:

A4 sent an official complaint to the Commonwealth Ombudsman about senior government officials in the disability sector failing to acknowledge communication (and ignoring meeting requests).

Post on Prime Minister Albanese's contact form:

Please find attached a letter describing concerns from the Disability Representative Organisation (DRO) for autistic Australians, the national group that represents and advocates for the full autistic spectrum including many autistic Australians diagnosed formally with severe and/or profound disability many of whom cannot speak for themselves and whose interests are not represented by autistic self-advocates (who mainly represent their own part of the autism spectrum). 

Bob Buckley lodged a formal complaint to The Nightly about their publication of an article MARK RILEY: Drastic changes coming to NDIS as unofficial rorting by parents is increasing cost to taxpayers 18/4/2026 that claims:

The only reasonable assumption is that parents have been gaming the system, exaggerating their children’s symptoms in order to secure packages. 

Maddison Leach

It's going to be much easier and cheaper to get an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD] diagnosis in NSW and some Australians are calling for Autism Spectrum Disorder to be next.

Ashlee Law always knew she experienced the world differently but signs of her ADHD and autism were overlooked for decades.

Dear Ministers

The NDIS shut down AEIOU, an early intervention service for severely or profoundly autistic very young children. This was the type of service that should have been essential for many autistic children who will remain in the the NDIS following the imminent Thriving Kids purge. 

Attached is an article that proposes positive ways forward rather than the government's continuing war of autistic Australians ... some of who are among the nations most vulnerable citizens. 

Please contact me if you have any questions.