NCID open letter to Assistant Minister for Social Services

By bobb |


An open letter to Senator The Hon Mitch Fifield, Assistant Minister for Social Services

Dear Minister Fifield

With respect, you cannot go on national radio (AM, Radio National 7 May 2014) and say to people with intellectual disability and their families that people with significant intellectual disability are unable to work in the open labour market (open employment).

This is factually wrong.

Minister's letter announces research into diagnostic practice for autism

By bobb |

Back in November 2013, Peter Hill wrote (see link below) to Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services, asking about:

  • a meeting
  • the number of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses (which are increasing significantly)
  • the cost of ASD to the community and steps that could/should be taken to minimise the burden on the community

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:

"autism research" may not be about autism

By bobb |

A recent article on the ABC's Ramp Up website (see Everyone is on a spectrum) reports on an online survey that included "people who identify with Autism Spectrum Disorder".

One can but wonder how many "people who identify with Autism Spectrum Disorder" actually have or even should have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ... and how representative those people are of the ASD "phenotype".

It turns out that the article describes findings that are really about "neurotypicals":

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