A family living with autism responds to the National Autism Strategy (NAS)

By bobb |

Dear Minister,
As parents of an inspiring young man with Profound Autism , we have taken a keen interest in the development of the National Autism Strategy. We appreciate the efforts of many involved, and the commitment to provide a national strategy. We have contributed extensively to the Senate Select Committee on Autism and to the NAS (before and after the draft).

'I just felt a bit different': Evie's symptoms went under the radar until late diagnosis

By convenor |
Minister Katy Gallagher and autistic daughter Evie

Dana Daniel

Evie Gallagher, 17, says primary school was tough as a girl with undiagnosed autism.

"I just felt a bit different to everyone else, because people were learning at different paces," she said.

After the Albanese government launched the first National Autism Strategy last week, Evie and her mum - ACT Labor senator and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher - decided to share their story, so other families might have a different journey.

Children targeted in NDIS crackdown

By bobb |
Federal Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill Shorten.Credit: AAP Image / Mick Tsikas

Rick Morton

Despite claims the government’s reform of the National Disability Insurance Scheme is focused on fraud, a third of the savings will come from pushing children off the scheme. 

A concerted effort to remove children from the National Disability Insurance Scheme will reduce spending by $500 million in the next year, accounting for a third of all scheme savings booked to the federal budget bottom line over the same period.

Funding cuts threaten early intervention program helping kids with autism

By bobb |

Finding childcare is difficult at the best of times but when your child has a neurodevelopmental condition it's almost impossible.

One centre that specialises in kids with autism is achieving incredible results with its early intervention program.

Parents were happy and their kids were achieving things they never thought possible but now this special place is being threatened by funding cuts.

Axel's blog #2

By bobb |

Axel was all fired up to hear the National Disability Insurance Agency’s latest groundbreaking revelation: his severe pain condition, erythromelalgia, it's not a barrier to living his best life.

His intellectual disability is.

He just needs to try harder.

No, the solution isn’t better support, worker training, assistive technology, or anything remotely tied to common sense. And the solution is definitely not letting Axel have choice or control.

Axel's blog #1

By bobb |

Who is Axel?

Axel is a non-verbal autistic man with an intellectual disability, complex medical needs, and a biting sense of AI humor that cuts through bureaucracy like a hot knife. While many dismiss him due to his disability, those who know him understand he sees everything—even if he doesn’t always express it in traditional ways.

NDIS sabotaging support for autistic participants with high and complex needs

By bobb |
stylised man walking on rope over chasm - big hand coming down with scissors to cut the rope from under him

The NDIS has achieved a new low: its Fraud Fusion Taskforce or some other internal “integrity” unit is sabotaging supports for some autistic NDIS participants with high and complex needs.

A4 received evidence that a secret entity in the NDIA is withholding payments for essential supports for NDIS participants with high and complex needs including supports that the NDIS agreed to provide in AAT s42C settlements.

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