The Tasmanian Liberal Party has a policy that aims to improve services and outcomes for Tasmanian children with autism. The Liberal Party website says:

A majority Liberal Government will also invest $1 million to kick-start a longer-term strategy to implement best practice autism care to Tasmania, including introducing the American-based Rethink Autism program to the State.

A GROUP of Bendigo parents are determined to start an autism-specific school, to ensure their children's needs are met.
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For some Australian children with autism, access to education is impossible … and Australian Governments just don't care.

A recent news item (see http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2044236/parents-call-for-auti…) shows yet another group of parents calling for “an autism-specific school, to ensure their children's [education] needs are met”.

Julia Medew

Some children showing signs of autism are left undiagnosed under new guidelines for autism spectrum disorders. Others are told they have ''social communication disorder'', a new condition that does not attract government funding for therapy, a leading psychologist says.

The following newspaper reports relate to the Abbott Government ignoring information and advice from stakeholders (see http://a4.org.au/a4/node/742 and http://a4.org.au/a4/node/779). The Government is intent on rerunning policy that has already failed repeatedly.

Please note Samantha Maiden and the Sunday Telegraph disgustingly branded people with disability explicitly on their front page as bludgers without any evidence to this effect.

BLUDGERS BUSTED

22 Dec 2013, The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney), SAMANTHA MAIDEN

Cathy O'Leary, Medical Editor, The West Australian

A leading WA autism researcher says a new US study has added weight to a theory linking autism to gut problems that could be treated.

Scientists have found a link between mice with gastrointestinal problems caused by changes in bacteria in the gut and autism-type behaviour.

Their results, published in the medical journal Cell, also found that giving affected mice so-called good gut bacteria helped problems such as anxiety-like behaviour disappear.

A BANGLADESHI family with an autistic son is waiting for the federal Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to personally intervene in their case after they were refused permanent residency because of the son's medical condition.

Enamul and Siuly Kabir had their appeal to the Migration Review Tribunal knocked back in October because their son Srijon's condition could "likely result in a significant cost to the Australian community in the areas of health care and community services".

But Enamul Kabir, who works as a statistician at the University of Queensland, said Srijon required no medication or therapy.

Monique Blakemore from Manchester UK has Asperger’s Syndrome and is an autism advocate for others on the autistic spectrum and for families supporting autistic individuals. She has two young sons who are both on the autistic spectrum.

Monique is an active campaigner, advocate and coach. Earlier this year she facilitated Autism Bubble Day of which more information can be read here and which was endorsed by The World Autism Organisation.

Monique is also Mentor and Specialist Advocate for autistic parents in care proceedings that are trying to obtain correct educational provision for their children.

Monique was employed as Employment Development Consultant covering Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire for a charity that provided employment coaching to adults with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).