Judy Bewer
Ill-informed debate over eligibility and arbitrary line-drawing through the autism spectrum is the result of years of neglect of autism research and a failure to engage with those who had the answers. It was a perfect storm waiting to happen, and the gales have now blown in.
When our son was diagnosed as autistic in 1996, my husband was the deputy prime minister of Australia. Socio-economic privilege? We were definitely at the top of the list. I left the pediatrician’s room with a diagnosis, a screaming three-year-old child, a three-month-old baby and a photocopied A4 piece of paper with stick figures on it. That was it. I was on my own to negotiate the rest. We are a fortunate family, educated and connected, with access to support and resources beyond many, and yet it took every ounce of our being to create a pathway for our son to find his place in society. Multiple schools, mental health episodes, hospital stays, bullying and all that goes with being extraordinary in a society that prioritises the ordinary.
On the 23/5/2018, the Minister for Social Security wrote to autism organisations to "assure" them that there would be "extensive consultation with stakeholders and the community" before making any changes to NDIS eligibility (see 
