Australia Pledges $40 Million for First National Autism Strategy

Students attend a class at a middle school in a file photo. Philippe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images

The Australian Labor government has unveiled a $42.3 million (US$26.2 million) action plan to support around 300,000 people with autism across the country.

On Jan. 14, the government launched Australia’s first National Autism Strategy, accompanied by an Action Plan aimed at improving support and outcomes for those with autism. The plan will run until 2031.

Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people behave and interact with others.

It is one of the fastest growing conditions with 290,900 Australians having autism, up 41.8 percent from 2018 (205,200), according the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The autism spectrum can also be quite broad capturing a range of behaviours.

According to Australia’s national health advice service, Health Direct, autism’s symptoms fall into two areas: difficulty with social interactions and communication, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests.

While autism is caused by differences in how the brain develops in children during the infancy period, modern medicine has not fully understood why these differences happen.

The government said the Strategy and Action Plan would focus on four main outcomes: social inclusion, economic inclusion, diagnosis and support, as well as health and mental health.

Government Committed to Support Autistic Australians

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the Labor government was committed to improving the lives of 300,000 autistic Australians.

“Addressing the barriers Autistic people face in areas like education, employment, and diagnosis is long overdue, and we are proud to deliver a Strategy that will change lives for the better,” she said in a statement.

“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.

Clare Gibellini, the co-chair of the Oversight Council, who helped develop the Strategy, highlighted its importance in addressing the challenges of people.

“It’s a very significant opportunity to change some of the narrative around autistic people as problems to be solved, continuing a real leadership relationship with the autistic community, and making sure that our voices are heard as we move forward,” she said.

Meanwhile, Oversight Council member Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro said there have been changes in how autism is perceived.

“Historically, there has been far too much emphasis on ‘fixing’ autistic people, as if they were inherently broken,” she said.

“We know now that the autistic brain, in and of itself, is not something to fix or feel shame about.”

Details of the Action Plan

Under the first Action Plan, the government will set aside $19.9 million over four years to provide lived-experience advice for autistic people via a peer support program.

Around $12.2 million will be spent over five years to establish a “knowledge translation” body responsible for researching neurodiversity, and improving the policies impacting autistic individuals.

An additional $3.7 million will be allocated to assess current support programs for autistic individuals, while $2.8 million will fund a thorough epidemiological study to determine the prevalence of autism.

Other spending included $915,000 for initiatives to improve community understanding, $445,000 for strengthening the diagnosis process, and another $915,000 to boost employment opportunities.