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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The Hon Minister Porter MP, please consider the meeting request

By convenor |

Dear The Hon. Christian Porter MP

Your reference: MC15-015074

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (known as A4) received a response from James Kemp in your Department.

I am sorry, but I cannot see how his response relates to the matters mentioned in the meeting request (see http://a4.org.au/node/1118). Please consider the meeting request that we sent to you on 5/11/2015.

regards

Bob Buckley

Convenor, Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia

21/12/2015

Senate committee calls for royal commission into disability abuse

By bobb |

A Senate committee has found a royal commission is needed into the abuse of people with disabilities, after a parliamentary inquiry heard "shocking" and "cruel" examples of violence and neglect around Australia. 

The report, by the Senate's community affairs committee, found that while there are no clear national statistics on the prevalence of violence against people with disability, there is "overwhelming anecdotal evidence". 

meeting request to Disability Minister - 5/11/2015

By convenor |

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;

CEDAW: autistic women and mothers

By bobb |

Presentation by Monique Blakemore to CEDAW, United Nations 30th October 2015 

Autistic women are a marginalised sector of the worlds largest minority group, the disabled community. There is an estimated 51,870,000 autistic women worldwide, a similar population to England.

Autistic women are subjected to systemic disadvantage in most areas of their lives. Autistic women experience exclusion socially, in education, in their personal lives, in the judicial system and in access to healthcare. Autistic leadership, exemplified by organizations such as Autism Women Matter, the Scottish Women’s Autism Network (SWAN) and Alliance Autiste, is necessary to challenge stigma and discrimination. 

Real, effective, and meaningful participation of autistic people, regardless of gender, is encapsulated in the phrase ‘nothing about us without us’ and is the aim of the autistic rights movement. Representation of autistic people by groups and individuals is frequently unfunded and unsupported. Unfortunately, ‘tokenism’, which is the illusion of consultation, is over-representative of the autistic advocacy experience. Autistic voices can be crowded out by those of professionals and parent caregivers that love and support us, but may see autism through their own experience. 

submission to Victorian Education Inquiry

By bobb |

A4 made a submission to Victoria'a review of its Program for Students with Disabilities. 

As well as answering the question raised in the reviews discussion paper, the submission (link below) has a short section on the very topical issue of behaviour management for autistic students , and an extended discussion of Inclusive Education for autistic students in Annex B.

A4's submission to Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment

By bobb |

A4's submission, Going nowhere, to the Committee's Inquiry into Current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on students and families associated with inadequate levels of support can be downloaded from the Committee's website (it's number 226) or from here. 

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