Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia

The $2bn Thriving Kids scheme, due to start on 1 July, would instead start in October, after states said they were not ready yet.

The Albanese government has offered to delay the start of a new program for early intervention autism services and provide budget top-ups for smaller states, part of efforts to secure an overdue deal on hospitals and disability funding.

Sarah Ison

In relation to A4's advocacy for improving essential hospital services for profoundly autistic Australians (see https://a4.org.au/node/2758), A4 received the following responses from governments and Ministers that were contacted initially. 

• NSW response
• federal response 

The NSW response is positive. We are keep to see how this develops ... both at Westmead hospital (inner-western Sydney) and in other NSW hospitals.

The Labor government announced its Thriving Kids program without saying who it was for. When disability representative organisations (DRO) met officials (4/9/2025 at Parliament House) and asked who it was for, the officials said “work to understand those numbers is yet to be started”.

Steve Robson

Health Minister Mark Butler faces a delicate balance ensuring tens of thousands of autistic children don’t lose vital support as he moves them from the NDIS to his new Thriving Kids scheme. 

Almost, two months after A4 made its submission to the Thriving Kids inquiry, the Committee got around to publishing a redacted version of the submission - see https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=aa16eb63-911d-40fb-a99f-3d….

A4 is a national disability representative organisation (DRO) for autism that is recognised by government. A4 is the only national recognised DRO for autism representing the full autism spectrum.

Dear Minister Butler MP

I recently became aware of the Westmead's One Stop Shop pro bono service for profoundly autistic patients (and others with severe disability who otherwise do not access many crucial health services). This service was described on the ABC in 2023.

The NDIS was built on a vision of inclusion, dignity and empowerment. But to realise this vision, families need to be shown compassion and have human connection with agencies, writes Legal Services SA chief executive Annmarie Lumsden.

Callum Godde

Tessa Koumoundouros

New research suggests that those diagnosed with autism in late childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood are more likely to have a different type than those diagnosed in early childhood.