Dear The Hon. Mr C Porter MP,

Minister for Social Security



Today I spoke with Lucy in your office. She asked me to write to you.

Recently, I have been contacted about several people who were told that Centrelink has reassessed them and they no longer qualify for Disability Support Pension because they have Asperger's Syndrome.

Dear The Hon. Christian Porter MP

Recent media reports mention the increasing number of people being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and the possible impact on the NDIS. Apparently, more people are diagnosed with autism than the NDIA expected … especially in South Australia.

There are a number of issues relating to autism that we would like to raise with you. These include:

1. autism and the NDIS … particularly increasing numbers of diagnoses and the NDIA's minimal consultation with the autism community;

Here is a personal letter from Bob Buckley to the Executive Officer of Children with Disability Australia (CDA) ...

Dear Ms Gotlib,

I am disappointed by the position you take in the article Inadequate system failing students with disabilities (9 Apr 2015).

While the item says:

Dear Senator,

Please vote today for an Inquiry into abuse and neglect of people with a disability when the matter comes before the Senate. Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) is confident that the community supports having an Inquiry; we are not aware of any opposition in the community to such an Inquiry.

The Hon Scott Morrison MP
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Minister Morrison MP

Subject: Open letter on people living with autism, and request to meet

Your website shows that with new responsibilities in Social Security you have turned your attention to “our welfare system” and “our safety net”. Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) asks to meet you to discuss the serious issues relating to welfare and supports for people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

A Government official (signature indecipherable), not the Assistant Minister, replied to A4's letter (see http://a4.org.au/a4/node/819) about Disability Support Pension and measures in the 2014-15 Federal Budget.

The Government's response is disappointing. It ignores the issues that A4 raised.

In its response the Government says that:

Dear Minister Andrews MP

I am writing to you about the mad bureaucracy in the NDIA, particularly in relation to the funding of transport associated with disability services.

In many instances, a disability service is either provided in a person's home or requires transport in order that a person can access the service. If the cost of transport is not included, then the service is simply not financially viable.

Sent via the NDIS contact form (see http://www.ndis.gov.au/form/contact-form) on 30/5/2014

I see from various documents on the NDIS website that a person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as needing evidence of a formal diagnosis, also needs a "severity level" ... or the NDIS will make its own functional assessment to determine his severity level. As my son's diagnosis was done before there were severity levels associated with ASD diagnoses, I expect he will need an NDIS functional assessment to determine his severity level.

Please can you provide details of:

Senator the Honourable Mr Fifield,
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

cc: The Honourable Kevin Andrews MP

Dear Senator,

Subject: Disability Support Pension changes in 2014 Federal Budget