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).