changed position on National Autism Plan

By convenor | Sun, 16/8/2020 - 11:03

Dear members of the Select Committee on Autism

When I appeared before you recently, you asked about a National Autism Strategy. Please disregard the answer I provided at the time.

Since that time, the Department of Social Services (DSS) and Services Australia:

had senior officials appear before the Community Affairs Committee, and
released a Position Paper on its National Disability Strategy.

These events both show DSS to be no longer fit-for-purpose.

Comment on DSS National Disability Strategy options paper

By convenor | Tue, 11/8/2020 - 16:59

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia responded to DSS's Options Paper on continuing the old National Disability Strategy (NDS) which they call a "new" strategy.

DSS's Options Paper shows no evidence of input from the disability community, especially input that says the previous strategy didn't work and substantial change is needed.

It also shows that it does not understand human rights in Australia but still tries to take a human rights perspective.

Submission to Disability Royal Commission on Education of autistic students

By convenor | Mon, 17/2/2020 - 09:47

On 3/2/2020, A4 sent its belated submission responding to the Disability Royal Commission's (DRC) Issues Paper on Education of students with disability. The submission was due in December, but A4 has limited resources to do this type of work. Hopefully, the DRC will consider A4's submission.

The submission makes the following suggestions to the Royal Commission.

A4's submission to the Tune Review

By convenor | Tue, 29/10/2019 - 16:34

A4's submission to the Tune Review on improving the NDIS legisation and on an NDIS service guarantee is available on the DSS Engage website: see https://engage.dss.gov.au/wp-content/up…

The submission shows there is considerable scope to improve the NDIS. The NDIS is falling well short of the mark it was set.

A4's submission focuses on issues relating to autistic Australians including 30% of NDIS participants.

Submission/comment to Productivity Commission Mental Health inquiry

By convenor | Thu, 10/10/2019 - 11:41
Subject: re: Your Mental Health inquiry submission [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2019 09:44:39 +1100 (AEDT)
From: mental.health@pc.gov.au
To: convenor@a4.org.au

Thank you Mr Buckley! We have received your submission.

For any other queries, please email mental.health@pc.gov.au

Below is a record of the information you sent us:

Autism/ASD submissions on planning to NDIS Parliamentary Joint Committee

By bobb | Wed, 18/9/2019 - 10:56

The Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is inquiring into the the NDIS's planning process.

A number of autism/ASD-related organisations, including A4, made submissions to the inquiry. The Committee published submissions here. The submissions by autism groups are:

2. Autism Family Support Association (PDF 580 KB)

5. Autism Spectrum Australia (PDF 143 KB) 

63. Irabina Autism Services (PDF 48 KB) 

69. Intervention Services for Autism and Developmental Delay (ISADD) (PDF 42 KB) 

A4 sent a report on Australia and the UN CRPD

By convenor | Mon, 5/8/2019 - 07:56

The United Nations is again reviewing Australia's response to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4) submitted a report on Australia's response to the CRPD in relation to the rights of autistic Australians. The key points A4 made are:

Australia’s laws and its legal system:

do not protect the rights of persons with disabilities
protect, and possibly promote, disability discrimination against autistic citizen in disability services.

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