Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia

The Hon Scott Morrison MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister,

Subject: NDIA functional assessments and conduct

Dear Mr Hoffman

I received my copy of your open letter to all NDIS participants at 4.02pm today.

Throughout the letter, you use the term “independent assessments” despite the whole disability sector having advised you that the NDIA’s contracted assessments are not “independent”. Insisting on calling them “independent” when they are not independent at all is classic “Yes Minister” conduct. Your failure to acknowledge and refusal to respect the views of the disability community shows you are not interested in improving the NDIS for the people who depend on it.

A4 does not often write to the Prime Minister, we usually write to minsters responsible for specific issues.

The letter below complains formally to the Prime Minister that parts of the Government, especially the NDIA, are waging a war on autistic Australians.

The Hon Scott Morrison MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister

Subject: government’s war on autistic Australians

I write to protest formally at the war on autistic Australians being waged by:

Adam Carey

At just nine years old, grade 3 student Thomas Brown might be the youngest child ejected from a Victorian school in years.

Thomas has level-two autism spectrum disorder and has had repeated run-ins with another boy at his school, St Leonard’s College, a non-government school in Brighton East. The school ruled this week that he should not return in term four.

Evan Young

This article contains references to suicide.

Disability advocates are concerned new reforms announced to NDIS eligibility decision making could have disastrous consequences.

There is concern in Australia's disability community that an overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme could make it harder for people to access the program and lead to instances of self harm, including suicide.

Many autistic people indicate to us that they experience difficulty accessing the Disability Support Pension (DSP). Maybe, a new service will help.

A new online resource has been established to help people navigate the sometimes complex process of accessing the Disability Support Pension.

By Jarni Blakkarly

Natasha Thomson says for the two-and-a-half years it took her to get on the Disability Support Pension (DSP), it felt like every aspect of her life was being scrutinised.

Love on the Spectrum is a new Netflix dating show that follows a group of seven singles and two couples, all on the autism spectrum, as they either look for love or celebrate the love they’ve found. The show was a big hit when it debuted in Australia in late 2019, and now it’s found an international home on Netflix.

The Senate Select Committee on Autism published A4's submission to its inquiry into the services, support and life outcomes for autistic people in Australia and the associated need for a National Autism Strategy.

A4's submission is titled "many small steps".

Conclusions given in the submission were:

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) sent a Freedom of Information request to the NDIA on 17/2/2020. See below for A4's request.

On the 26/3/2020, the NDIA, despite the original letter from Ms Faulkner informing A4 of the NDIS's "review to consider and identify enhancements to the ECEI tailored pathway", notified A4 "that the relevant area of the NDIA is unsure what specific review is referred to in your request". They say "We understand the difficulty in articulating what specific documents you seek access" (see the email thread below up to 22/5/2020).

Adam Carey

Three special schools in Melbourne will be investigated over a series of allegations of “violence, abuse and serious neglect” of students with disabilities over the past 10 years.

Victoria’s Department of Education and Training has launched an investigation into multiple claims of mistreatment of vulnerable children at Marnebek School in Cranbourne East, Jackson School in St Albans and Southern Autistic School in Bentleigh East.