Show news for a region of your choice (mostly Austraian news).

'I just felt a bit different': Evie's symptoms went under the radar until late diagnosis

By convenor |

Dana Daniel

Evie Gallagher, 17, says primary school was tough as a girl with undiagnosed autism.

"I just felt a bit different to everyone else, because people were learning at different paces," she said.

After the Albanese government launched the first National Autism Strategy last week, Evie and her mum - ACT Labor senator and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher - decided to share their story, so other families might have a different journey.

Top scholar says evidence for special education inclusion is ‘fundamentally flawed’

By bobb |

Analysis of 50 years of research argues that there isn’t strong evidence for the academic advantages of placing children with disabilities in general education classrooms

by Jill Barshay January 13, 2025

A trio of researchers argues that it's unclear where students with disabilities learn the most and recommends that teachers and parents focus first on interventions students need. 

Children targeted in NDIS crackdown

By bobb |

Rick Morton

Despite claims the government’s reform of the National Disability Insurance Scheme is focused on fraud, a third of the savings will come from pushing children off the scheme. 

A concerted effort to remove children from the National Disability Insurance Scheme will reduce spending by $500 million in the next year, accounting for a third of all scheme savings booked to the federal budget bottom line over the same period.

Funding cuts threaten early intervention program helping kids with autism

By bobb |

Finding childcare is difficult at the best of times but when your child has a neurodevelopmental condition it's almost impossible.

One centre that specialises in kids with autism is achieving incredible results with its early intervention program.

Parents were happy and their kids were achieving things they never thought possible but now this special place is being threatened by funding cuts.

2025 Australian of the Year for Queensland - Geoffrey Smith (Yeronga)

By bobb |

The 2025 Australian of the Year Awards recipients for Queensland have been announced at a ceremony in Brisbane this evening. 

The Queensland recipients will join those from the other states and territories for the national awards to be announced on 25 January 2025. 

The 2025 Australian of the Year for Queensland is Geoffrey Smith, co-founder, Australian Spatial Analytics.