Dear sir/madam

We write in relation to your recent NDIS 2.0 report.

Congratulations on the report, both for its content and its impact.

There is one aspect of the report that concerns A4, the disability representative organisation (DRO) for autism listed on the DSS DRO webpage. It has emerged, apparently unexpectedly for the NDIA and the government, that autistic NDIS participants are the largest primary disability group in the NDIS. At this stage, this is most noticeable in the under-25 year age brackets. The previous NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds is reported widely as having said “…, children with autism … were singled out as reasons for the rising costs [of the NDIS]”.

However, none of this is mentioned in your report. Your report makes specific comments about intellectual and psychosocial disability; specifically, it says:

• "There are significant market gaps for some people, especially ... people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities" and "This has created a ‘desert’ of support for anyone not in the Scheme, including for many with psychosocial disabilities".
• "people with lived experience of psychosocial or intellectual disabilities should be represented in decision making".
• "Have more training so that navigators like planners, PITC, support coordinators, and plan managers better understand the diversity of needs that people with disability can have, for example young people, ... those with complex psychosocial and intellectual disabilities".

A4 is interested to know why autistic people are excluded from these particular concerns. A4 believes that autistic people have similar needs in relation to these specific aspects of disability support. Too often, the needs of autistic people are simply left ignored and unrecognised. What happened in this instance?

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Bob Buckley

Convenor, Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4)

website: https://a4.org.au/

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia, known as A4, is the national grassroots organisation advocating for autistic people, their families, carers and associates. A4 is internet based so that Australians anywhere can participate.

Note for politicians and bureaucrats – Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia's policy on unanswered questions is available at https://a4.org.au/node/1419.

A4 recognises and respects the traditional owners, the elders past, present and emerging of lands in Australia. Sovereignty was never ceded.

“The first step in solving any problem is recognising there is one.” Jeff Daniels as Will McEvoy in The Newsroom.