Australia launches national autism strategy

The federal government has launched its first-ever national autism strategy, a seven-year plan aimed at improving support and life outcomes for the almost 300,000 autistic people living in Australia.

The strategy strives to deliver a more consistent national approach to improve inclusion, services and supports for autistic people.

Accompanying the strategy is an action plan that outlines the steps the Government will take over the next two years as it begins to implement the strategy.

This is backed by $42.3 million in funding, including:

• $19.9 million over four years for a peer support program, providing lived experience and tailored advice to autistic people in groups “they resonate with”;
• $12.2 million over five years for a dedicated body to help translate research into neurodiversity into policies and services that will improve autistic people’s lives;
• $2.8 million over four years for a comprehensive study to determine the prevalence of autism in Australia, and
• $445,000 in 2025/26 to improve the diagnosis process by providing autistic people and their families with pre- and post-diagnosis resources and information.

The health and mental health components of the strategy will be delivered through a separate roadmap, which is still being developed.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the new strategy will “change lives for the better”.

“Addressing the barriers autistic people face in areas like education, employment and diagnosis is long overdue,” she said. “This is not a strategy that has been done in isolation. It has been built in consultation and collaboration with autistic people living in Australia.

“Working with autistic people will remain key as we work to implement the goals of the strategy and the associated action plan – ensuring we met the diverse needs of autistic people in Australia.”

Autism CRC chief executive officer Andrew Davis welcomed the strategy and commended the inclusion of autistic people, their families and carers in its development.

“For too long, autistic Australians have encountered obstacles to opportunity and appropriate supports, leading to significant disadvantage for life outcomes, for example, in health, education and employment,” he said.

He said it was pleasing to see an immediate focus on action with the release of the strategy’s first action plan, but much work is yet to be done in “defining and implementing the further actions needed to deliver the strategy’s goals”.

People with Disability Australia’s deputy CEO Megan Spindler-Smith said the release of the strategy comes at a challenging time for the many autistic people who are concerned changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme will limit their access to supports.

“This strategy doesn’t exist in a vacuum,” she said.

“Right now, we’re seeing autistic people, especially children and young people, reassessed and removed from the NDIS at unprecedented rates with no alternative pathways to support.

“This feels at odds with the principle of the strategy.”

This concern was echoed by Autism Awareness Australia chief executive officer Nicole Rogerson who said the plan “must be followed by immediate action”.

“There needs to be a streamlined approach to address the funding gaps between the Commonwealth and state governments because the current changes to the NDIS are having a real impact on Australian children,” she said.