The opposition did not bring down Kevin Rudd, nor the Labor Party's factions. The answer lies within the man's complex personality.

...

Others say that while Rudd never yelled or became visibly angry in encounters, his displeasure was pretty obvious. Often business people found themselves being lectured by the PM who had a tendency to suck all the oxygen out of the room, ruining any real exchange of views. One chief executive goes as far as saying: "I think he suffered a complete lack of empathy. It was almost like he had a form of Aspergers or autism."

20 June 2010 | 01:05:33 PM | Source: AAP

National Advisory Council on Mental Health chairman John Mendoza tendered his resignation on Friday in a letter to Health Minister Nicola Roxon. (AAP)

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's top mental health adviser has quit accusing the government of a lack of vision and commitment to a problem that affects millions of Australians.
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National Advisory Council on Mental Health chairman John Mendoza tendered his resignation on Friday in a letter to Health Minister Nicola Roxon.

His letter has been obtained by Fairfax newspapers.

A CHILD with Asperger’s syndrome could be forced out of a Wantirna Catholic school by the actions of some parents.

Devout Catholic parents Emily and Mark Jones just wanted to give their son Ed a Catholic education, but are considering removing him from St Luke’s Primary School after what they say has been a campaign of intolerance from some school parents and students.

They will urgently meet with the school this week, but in the meantime are meeting principals of two other schools at which they are considering enrolling him.

Eran Segev

On Thursday, 13 May 2010

Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Place: Lecture theatre, Innovations Building, Eggleston Rd, ANU

Free admission

No need to book but note that the theatre seats 106.

Various groups with a variety of agendas have all kinds of ideas about autism. Looking at their claims can be one step towards active skepticism.

Eran Segev is a father of 3 boys, an IT consultant, and the President of Australian Skeptics Inc (Sydney Skeptics).

About the Sydney Skeptics

JEAN-Marie Hetu was forced to pull his nine-year-old autistic son out of an eastern suburbs school because his child was being bullied and teachers were struggling to support his disability.
The Mitcham man said his son, Jean-Louis, has now been home-schooled for 12 months.

``He now produces art to the level of his age group, when upon leaving school all he could do is smother paint,’’ Mr Hetu said.

``... It is not blaming the other children, it is not blaming the school staff, but there needs to be more awareness and understanding of autism.’‘

In April 2010, Australia's Autism Month, the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders (AAB ASD) launched its position paper on Education and Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia: The provision of appropriate educational services for school-age students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia.

The Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders calls for educational services for school-aged Australian children and adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that are governed by the following principles:

The Courier-Mail, April 09, 2010

AUTISM rates are at an all-time high in Queensland schoolchildren, with concerns over higher levels in mining and farming communities.

More than 2 per cent of state school students – nearly 10,000 – were classified last year as having autism spectrum disorder. Education Queensland believes it is the highest number ever to have been diagnosed with ASD in state schools.

It follows concerns the disorder is being overdiagnosed to gain funding for students whose real disability does not attract money under departmental guidelines.

In Australia around 1 in 120 children are diagnosed with Autism.

It's a condition very little is know about.

Now, some mothers of autistic children and some doctors say Autism, as well as other disorders such as ADD/ADHD, are treatable through diet, nutritional supplements and the removal of toxins.

After 3 days without casein (wheat and dairy), gluten, soy and corn, amazing results have been discovered in children previously showing signs of autism.

Mike Steketee, The Australian, March 27, 2010

TWO mothers with disabled children have launched a national grassroots movement they hope to turn into one of the most powerful single-issue campaigns in Australian politics.

PAUL BIBBY, March 20, 2010