Mark Metherell, October 3, 2007

Families with autistic children will get long-sought help whichever side wins the federal election.

In a policy duel both the Government and Labor this morning have announced a range of assistance measures for autistic children, who number about one in every 160 children in Australia.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, has acknowledged there are "major gaps" in services for such children.

He revealed a Coalition Government would spend $190 million over five years to assist children with "autism spectrum disorders".

A Canberra coroner has called on the ACT Government to provide more funding for coronial support services.

Coroner Ron Cahill made the comments during an inquest into the death of a 21-year-old disabled man.

Stephen Moon had been sedated after having his wisdom teeth out at Calvary hospital.

Today, the court heard it was likely he had died from pneumonia he had contracted while on ventilation.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is holding an Inquiry into Equal Employment Opportunity and Participation for People with Disabilities (see http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/employment_inquiry/index.htm).

Please go to their website to get information on this inquiry. HREOC published several white papers that you may want to download and read.

The Victorian Government reviewed its disability legislation. More information is available in the A4 Update 2006 No. 1 (download it from is Word Version or PDF Version)

A4's submission can be downloaded from here

FaCS Review of  the Lists of Recognised Disabilities

Submission to this review ultimately resulted in Asperger's syndrome being added to the list (autism was already on the list). The main result is a simpler process for getting Carer's Allowance in relation to a child with Asperger's syndrome; and the outcome is longer-lasting.

Baroness admits to 'disastrous legacy' of problem children in mainstream teaching. Liz Lightfoot reports

Baroness Warnock, the educationalist whose report led to the drive to include children with special needs in mainstream classes, admitted yesterday that the policy had failed and left "a disastrous legacy".

She is urging the Government to carry out a "radical review" of the closure of special schools, which she said were better able to provide a reassuring and personal environment for emotionally vulnerable pupils than large mainstream classes.

"Governments must come to recognise that, even if inclusion is an ideal for society in general, it may not always be an ideal for schools," she said. "I think it has gone too far. It was a sort of bright idea of the 1970s but by now it has become a kind of mantra and it really isn't working."

The Senate asked its Select Committee on Mental Health to conduct a broad inquiry into mental health services and issues. The details of the inquiry: terms of reference, contacts, etc. can be found at http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/mentalhealth_ctte/index.htm

Issues A4 members raised in our submission (see http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/mentalhealth_ctte/submissions/su…) include:

The Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training (see http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/evt/index.htm) inquired into Teacher Education (see http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/evt/teachereduc/index.htm).

Issues A4 members raised* include:

The United Nations are drafting a new international agreement on the rights of people with a disability.