Tuck Thompson, September 08, 2008 12:00AM

AN autistic online comedian has been sacked from his job at the Foster's Yatala brewery for making YouTube videos that offended his employers.

Packager Karl Tilcock, who lives in Windaroo and supports a wife and two autistic children, performs offbeat humour as a hobby under the name AustDingo. One of his fans, Sydney resident Raul Isidro, has slammed Foster's for its "unAustralian" reaction.
AustDingo's YouTube channel (beware coarse language)

The Federal Government has accused Labor of 'me too-ism' by announcing its policy to help autistic children on the same day as the Coalition's.

As the phoney election campaign rolls along, both sides have spent the week courting the health vote.

Today, the Government unveiled a $190 million package to tackle childhood autism.

About $21 million of that will go towards a new Medicare item for the diagnosis of autism and early intervention treatment for children with the disability.

Annabel Stafford and Carol Nader, October 4, 2007

THE health bidding war continued yesterday as Prime Minister John Howard trumped Labor's pitch for the parental vote with a $190 million plan to help children with autism.

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd was forced to match the Government policy, which dwarfed the ALP's own pledge to set up at least six autism-specific child-care centres.

Media Releases

3/10/2007

The Howard Government has today announced a $190.7 million package to support children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD,) their parents and carers.

Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, said the package announced by the Prime Minister included an early intervention program to assist children with autism, worth $116 million over five years.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 03/10/2007

Reporter: Hayden Cooper

Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd have both promised to increase funding for autism sufferers if elected to government.

Transcript

TONY JONES: Well, there were some glaring similarities between Kevin Rudd and John Howard today as they both rushed to improve the lives of autistic Australians. The leaders were both on the hustings in Queensland, a crucial state in which the coalition stronghold is under threat.

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.