On 27 May 2008, Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia joined with the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders (AABASD), the Office of Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in hosting a Parliamentary Breakfast at Parliament House. There were 96 registered guests, mostly politicians.

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.

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".

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.

This report was commissioned by the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders with funding from the Commonwealth Department of Family, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA). It arose from experience that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was increasing in Australia but there was a lack of evidence on the actual number of affected children, young people and adults across the nation.