See http://a4.org.au/node/2059. It seems that the NDIS simply "lost" this matter. AEIOU told A4 they have no idea what this was about. The NDIS has not published anything we could find about this trial. A4 doubts that this trial ever existed.

Dear Mr Buckley

Please find attached correspondence acknowledging your request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

Dear the Hon Jane Prentice MP

We thank you and Mr Russell de Burgh for your response (MC17-003466 on 28/3/2017) to A4's email, and especially for specifically answering the questions we asked.

The webpage your response refers to, https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/disability-support-pension, says (repeatedly) that people who are either "permanently blind" or " have a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition" may be eligible for Disability Support Pension. We understand that people who to not satisfy this description are not eligible. This description of eligible people excludes most autistic people. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not regarded as a "psychiatric condition" even though the diagnostic criteria are described in the DSM-5, a manual of mental disorders. Current estimates suggest under 50% of autistic people have "intellectual impairment". ASD is not physical impairment. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that in 2012, 73% of autistic Australians have severe or profound disability (limitations on core activities), so it would seem that a high proportion of autistic adults should be eligible for DSP.

A hundred years ago people with an intellectual disability were locked up in "lunatic asylums". Today they're still locked away, but it's just behind the walls of suburbia.

This is a story I'm trying to write without being able to give you specific details. It includes allegations of sexual abuse, physical assault and degradation, so people have asked for identities to be protected.

Dear Mr Buckley,

Please find attached correspondence from William Garton.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions in regards to this correspondence.

Kind Regards

Executive Assistant to William Garton,

General Manager – Access and Operations Management,

Participants and Planning

National Disability Insurance Agency

Mr Bob Buckley

Convenor

Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4)

Dear Mr Buckley,

Thank you for your correspondence dated 2 February 2017.

Dear Mr Buckley

Please find attached correspondence acknowledging your request under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

Please contact me if you require the attached document in an alternative format.

Kind regards

GA
Paralegal
Legal Branch
National Disability Insurance Agency

Dan Conifer and FOI editor Michael McKinnon

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The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) stopped processing thousands of applications from service providers, critical staff were untrained and properties were not ready when the scheme's nationwide rollout began, documents have revealed.