AO for Woodend’s Professor Tonge

By bobb |
E/Prof Bruce Tonge smiling at camera outside a cottage front door

Bruce Tonge’s ground-breaking work in child psychiatry over five decades has focused on autism spectrum disorders and behavioural and emotional disturbance in children with intellectual disability.

The Woodend-based Emeritus Professor has been named an Officer of the Order of Australia in this year’s Australia Day Honours in acknowledgement of his service to research and education in this field.

Prof Tonge’s career began in 1970 as a young graduate of medicine at Monash University, when he first developed a keen interest in both paediatrics and psychiatry.

Melbourne autism researchers develop world's most effective early screening tool for children

By bobb |

A screening tool developed by Australian researchers has been found to be the world's most effective tool for diagnosing children who are on the autism spectrum.

Key points:

  • A study of more than 13,500 Victorian children found the La Trobe University tool to be the most effective in the world
  • The tool teaches health workers to use a checklist to identify key behaviours when children come in for routine appointments
  • Children as young as 11 months old have been identified as having a higher likelihood of autism

Disability advocates push to scrap the word ‘pension’ from government payment

By bobb |
portrait of Ms Mather

Brooke Grebert-Craig

Disability advocates are pushing to change a word on the title of a Centrelink payment, claiming it’s condescending and demeaning to young people.

 

Disability advocates are pushing to change a word on the title of a government payment, claiming it’s discriminatory to young people.

Victoria University PhD student Jerusha Mather wants the term ‘pension’ changed on the name of Centrelink’s Disability Support Pension.

Respite care inspired by family experience

By bobb |

Alesha Capone

Marina Ivelja knows the difficulties of looking for respite care for someone you love.

Mrs Ivelja is 16 years older than her older brother, who has autism, an intellectual disability, complex partial seizures and severe self-harming behaviours.

While growing up, she witnessed his diagnosis, integration with special schools and all the different services her family dealt with.

Mrs Ivelja said that this motivated her to establish her respite service, Beyond Disability Services, which opened in Bacchus Marsh during November 2021.

NDIS too focussed on costs over people's needs, says autism peak body

By bobb |

On Mornings with Virginia Trioli

Download NDIS too focussed on costs over people: autism peak body (6.39 MB)

The chief executive of the peak body supporting Victorians with autism has slammed the NDIS as too focussed on costs over people's needs.

It comes after the ABC revealed hundreds of people with autism and intellectual disabilities have had their NDIS funding slashed because the payments were found not to represent "value for money".

‘Best thing in my life’: Dad breaks down over autistic son’s 99.45 VCE score

By bobb |
Despite his struggles, Ross’ son achieved an amazing ATAR. Picture: iStock.

Jessica Wang

The father of an autistic child broke down on live radio, sharing the proud moment his family found out about their son’s top VCE score

Camille Bassanese is autistic and found comfort in a spoon set sold at Kmart before they were discontinued. Her mum Nedra D’Souza approached Kmart and they not only searched for more spoons but will bring their old range back.

Vivid new artworks reigniting CBD

By bobb |

Vibrant street art has transformed 33 of Melbourne’s renowned laneways, as the city fills with visitors for summer celebrations.

The new creative and lighting installations are part of the City of Melbourne’s Flash Forward program – the largest revitalisation of CBD laneways in Melbourne’s history.

Recently complete works include:

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