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assessed: the National Commission of Audit's disability related recommendations - fail

By bobb |

The National Commission of Audit today released it recommendations (see http://www.ncoa.gov.au/report/phase-one/recommendations.html). The recommendation relevant to disability follow, with a short commentary.

Recommendation 16: The National Disability Insurance Scheme

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is a worthy scheme with widespread community support. The Commission recommends the Commonwealth continue to support the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, but that the scheme be implemented in a way which is fiscally sustainable by:

Mother of autistic child speaks out for Tasmania’s disabled children

By bobb |

BLAIR RICHARDS April 24, 2014

Rebecca Taylor with her seven-year-old son Willow, who has autism. Picture: RICHARD JUPE Source: News Limited

REBECCA Taylor is speaking out on behalf of other Tasmanian parents whose children have a disability.

She decided to share her story after the Mercury yesterday reported some children with disabilities were being sent home or asked not to attend school ­because of a lack of support.

Welfare trap pushes half of Aussies with a disability into poverty

By bobb |


The equivalent of 7 per cent of Australia's workforce claims a disability pension — more than double the population of the capital Canberra — and the government needs more recipients to work to rein in a A$138 billion social-security bill it says is unsustainable.

By Angus Whitley

Allen Rankin says living on Australian welfare payments designed to help him survive his mental disability instead left him contemplating suicide.

letter to Senator Fifield, Assistant Minister responsible for disability services and supports

By convenor |

Dear Senator Fifield

The following raises concerns about the likely and imminent demise of crucial services for children with autism. I understand that the contracts for the Autism Advisers (funded as part of the Commonwealth Government's Helping Children with Autism package) in South Australia and in the Australian Capital Territory have not been renewed. As a result of the NDIS, the Autism Adviser service in these regions will cease soon unless those contracts are renewed.

US CDC reports autism rate is 1 in 68 (2010 data)

By bobb |

A recent media release (see http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0327-autism-spectrum-disorder.h… ) says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 68 children (or 14.7 per 1,000 eight-year-olds) in multiple communities in the United States has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This new estimate is roughly 30 percent higher than previous estimates reported in 2012 of 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000 eight year olds) being identified with an autism spectrum disorder. The number of children identified with ASD ranged from 1 in 175 children in Alabama to 1 in 45 children in New Jersey.

Note that recent (2012) Australian data on the prevalence of ASD shows 1 in 62 children in this country have a diagnosis ... see http://a4.org.au/a4/node/695 and http://a4.org.au/a4/node/622 There is nothing to celebrate in rising autism rates because people who are properly diagnosed with autism have significant disability that "requires support".

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