Response to email to Minister Robert regarding Expert Reference Group to implement the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia

By convenor |
Subject: Re: Response to email to Minister Robert regarding Expert Reference Group to implement the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2020 08:41:53 +1100
From: Bob Buckley (A4 Convenor) <convenor@a4.org.au>
Organisation: Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia
To:

Student with autism had good, bad and 'horrendous' teachers, disability royal commission told

By bobb |

Nas Campanella, Celina Edmonds

Autistic student Maria Scharnke plans to spend her life fighting for justice for young people with disabilities, after experiencing physical and psychological abuse at schools across two states.

The 17-year-old final year student gave evidence to the Disability Royal Commission's inquiry into the education system.

She told the inquiry she had been excluded from activities, removed from classes as a disciplinary measure and isolated without supervision.

"School has at many times absolutely been a hostile environment that did not understand who I was," Ms Scharnke said.

 

Boy with disabilities was suspended from NSW school seven times

By bobb |

The boy received a warning in his first couple of weeks at school - before being suspended a staggering amount of times over 18 months.

Melissa Iaria

 

 

Are big classrooms damaging your child's education?

 

With some teachers struggling to juggle 32 children at once, how can we improve our children's learning environment?

Dear Mr Hoffman - your open letter

By convenor |

Dear Mr Hoffman

I received my copy of your open letter to all NDIS participants at 4.02pm today.

Throughout the letter, you use the term “independent assessments” despite the whole disability sector having advised you that the NDIA’s contracted assessments are not “independent”. Insisting on calling them “independent” when they are not independent at all is classic “Yes Minister” conduct. Your failure to acknowledge and refusal to respect the views of the disability community shows you are not interested in improving the NDIS for the people who depend on it.

National Disability Insurance Scheme spends $300 million on outsourced staff, lawyers in a single year

By bobb |

By Rick Morton

The managers of the National Disability Insurance Scheme spent almost $18 million on lawyers and legal advice in the last financial year, more than double the previous year’s bill, according to new data from the agency.

Figures contained in the latest senate order contracts report show the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) outsourced almost $300 million worth of labour hire, consulting, legal fees and training and development for staff in the year ending June 30.

Dear PM - the Government's war on autistic Australians

By convenor |

A4 does not often write to the Prime Minister, we usually write to minsters responsible for specific issues.

The letter below complains formally to the Prime Minister that parts of the Government, especially the NDIA, are waging a war on autistic Australians.


 

The Hon Scott Morrison MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister

Subject: government’s war on autistic Australians

I write to protest formally at the war on autistic Australians being waged by: