The following list shows A4's recent advocacy. This list contains both publications (including briefs and submissions) and communications (letters & emails).

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Report of the Select Committee on access to the South Australian education system for students with a disability

By convenor |

A Select Committee of the South Australian parliament produced this report.

This report has a lot to say about autistic students (students with autism, students with ASD, students on the autism spectrum). It includes a lot of recommendations. A couple of the recommendations are specific to how autistic students are educated.

Secret NDIA business - no ABA for school students

By convenor |

A month ago, a NDIS planner in the ACT told a mother that the NDIA had "two publically available reports that the NDIS is using to avoid funding ABA therapies in kids aged 5 and above i.e. school-aged kids".  The NDIS planner told the mother:

  1. once kids reach school, the schools are meant to fund appropriate behavioural management plans (also occupational and speech therapy),
  2. as kids after school are too tired to have therapy, then these unnamed studies state that ABA therapy is no longer effective, and
  3. the NDIS would not fund ABA for kids at school. 

Autism: Beware of Potentially Dangerous Therapies and Products

By bobb |

One thing that is important to know about autism up front: There is no cure for autism. So, products or treatments claiming to “cure” autism do not work as claimed. The same is true of many products claiming to “treat” autism or autism-related symptoms. Some may carry significant health risks.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays an important role in warning these companies against making improper claims about their products’ intended use as a treatment or cure for autism or autism-related symptoms.

ASD advocates in the ACT call to register behavioural clinicians

By bobb |

Speaking Out for Autism Spectrum Disorder (SOfASD), a local ASD advocacy group in the ACT, wrote to the ACT Minister for Education raising concerns about the lack if discernible progress with getting registered/certified behavioural service and support for autistic students in ACT schools. SOfASD asked for a meeting but the Minister's response ignored their request.

Submission on National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Costs

By convenor |

A4 made a submission to the Productivity Commission study of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Costs. 

The submission's conclusion says:

Previously, we said that the NDIS has substantial potential to improve the lives of autistic people. They may have access to more services and supports. They have more choice and control of the services and supports they access.

FoI request: NDIA's Townsville early intervention experiment

By convenor |

See http://a4.org.au/node/2059. It seems that the NDIS simply "lost" this matter. AEIOU told A4 they have no idea what this was about. The NDIS has not published anything we could find about this trial. A4 doubts that this trial ever existed.

Dear Mr Buckley

Please find attached correspondence acknowledging your request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

Disability Support Pension - are autistic people eligible?

By convenor |

Dear the Hon Jane Prentice MP

We thank you and Mr Russell de Burgh for your response (MC17-003466 on 28/3/2017) to A4's email, and especially for specifically answering the questions we asked.

The webpage your response refers to, https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/disability-support-pension, says (repeatedly) that people who are either "permanently blind" or " have a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition" may be eligible for Disability Support Pension. We understand that people who to not satisfy this description are not eligible. This description of eligible people excludes most autistic people. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not regarded as a "psychiatric condition" even though the diagnostic criteria are described in the DSM-5, a manual of mental disorders. Current estimates suggest under 50% of autistic people have "intellectual impairment". ASD is not physical impairment. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that in 2012, 73% of autistic Australians have severe or profound disability (limitations on core activities), so it would seem that a high proportion of autistic adults should be eligible for DSP.

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