Submission 2263

Hello, my name is and I am a 30-year-old woman on the Autism Spectrum, and I am

asking for this bill to be scrapped.

My brother is a 31-year-old man also on the Autism Spectrum. Our Mum has a rare

genetic muscle disorder called Central Core Disease. My brother was diagnosed at age 18, and I was diagnosed the following year when I was 18. My Mum uses a walker or wheelchair. All three of us on the NDIS. I am studying the bachelor of psychological sciences. I began in 2021 at age 25 and I also learnt to drive that year. Thanks to support from NDIS (and my Mum) I have been able to keep studying and obtain my full licence. My brother is now learning to drive and last year moved from home where the three of us and our cats were renting. My brother spent years of his childhood and teens right up to when he gained access to the NDIS – largely unable to leave his room. He would only go out rarely with myself and our mum. If the NDIS removes or further reduces (has already prior to legislation) an individuals funding to access the community then my brother and myself risk being isolated again.

   I wish to be clear that I am so proud of myself and my brother for our achievements.

However, I now will explain why NDIS cuts have and will further affect us and many others on the Autism Spectrum (and other disabilities). We need help to maintain our gains- What I fear what that removing me, my brother or autistic people off the NDIS could result in.

   I do not see how I could continue studying. I can drive but I get exhausted easily from

overwhelm, sensory overload and severe anxiety. I already require extensions and extra time to break down tasks. Every time I get illness (cold, flu, low iron etc) I either drop out, must apply for special circumstances or submit assignments later than my already long two-week extensions which means reduced grades. My brother and I would no longer be able to get support workers to take us to the gym and we would both be further isolated. I am afraid we

Submission 2263

will lose the gains towards independence we have already achieved. I already had my travel allowance removed in my last plan I was told because I can drive. NDIS ignored my occupational therapists written recommendations and instead relied on the end of report where a box was ticked that I drive. My mum is supporting me with challenging this, but it is an overwhelming process. I fear for autistic people and other disabled persons’ mental health. I fear an increase in suicides and murder-suicides in the disabled community is inevitable if this ableist bill goes ahead.

As an autistic person who can “communicate” I feel the government wants me to be punished or feel guilty about receiving assistance with the NDIS because there are other autistic people that cannot communicate in the neurotypical way? That is ableism. I feel like the government, the media and this bill chose to attack and turn on autistic people. I am grateful I can understand what this horrifying bill is doing as it enables me to stand up for myself, my brother, for verbal and nonverbal autistic people of all ages. However, I will tell you when I first heard Mark Butler announce on the press club this shocking bill I broke down in tears. I could not believe a Labor government could do this to the disabled community and single out Autistic people as a drain on society. It took a lot of energy for me to convince myself to write this and I will be exhausted for days.

Here is just SOME of the Problems with this Bill on the NDIS and why the bill must be scrapped:

• The bill states that a politician can override a plan and ignore supports recommended and required by specialists such as Occupational Therapists and psychologists. This does not make sense Mr. Butler, or any other minister are not my

Submission 2263

doctors/specialists/allied health, and this would be violating both my privacy rights and making a mockery of the professionals who specialise in the disability sector.

• Thriving Kids – “Thriving Kids model is risky and leans on families” (Australian Association of Psychologists Inc., 2026)

(https://www.aapi.org.au/common/Uploaded%20files/AAPi/260204 Thriving%20Kids%20m odel%20is%20risky%20and%20leans%20on%20families.pdf ).

1. For current and future children who are autistic -you DO NOT stop being autistic after age nine. The teenage years are especially difficult to traverse. From what I can understand Thriving kids provides courses, strategies for parenting. Parents who are already reeling from trying to accommodate, understand and emotionally support their autistic children. Putting blame and so-called responsibility on these highly stressed parents will not change the facts that most if not all autistic children still require OTs and specialised psychological supports.

2. When you state low and moderate needs or use incorrect terms like “mild autism” you are missing critical information such as girls and women mask more often and burnout easily – this is my lived experience and many other women on the spectrum for example the yellow ladybugs (an advocacy/support organisation for Autistic girls and women see: https://www.yellowladybugs.com.au/About ) will show you this is a universal lived experiences too. Level 1 autistic persons need support, Level 2 needs even more support and Level 3 need the most support! We must support all kids on the spectrum. No discrimination. There are many articles and stories about fears around support needs and Mr. Butler and Labor have not acknowledged the fluctuating needs that many on the autism spectrum including myself have. A small

Submission 2263

sample of articles/references: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-12/moderate-

cchildren-at-risk-under-thriving-kids-ndis/106385602

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/23/wed-be-on-our-own- families-face-being-thousands-of-dollars-worse-off-as-labor-cuts-ndis-lifeline

https://cyda.org.au/a-major-red-flag-four-in-five-warn-thriving-kids-rollout-is-too- rushed-cyda-survey-finds/

3.

Thriving kids fails to acknowledge masking - where an autistic person may appear or at least attempt to look in public like a neurotypical. Girls and women are more likely to do this and qualities of being female of quiet, shy, polite may seem like they are “coping” or “look fine/normal/good” meet approval of neurotypicals but inside we are drowning – I am 30 years old I am still learning to notice when I am masking, and I am extremely critical of myself when I do. I fear thriving kids is an excuse to ignore girls and women’s experiences of being Autistic.

4.

Thriving Kids fails to acknowledge parents and carers who are commonly female – thom the government claim they want to support getting back to work and equal pay/super- these slashes would do the opposite! These parents and carers are already sacrificing time and doing everything they can. They are already burn out and sadly there has already been murder-suicides that prove what happens when cuts to NDIS plans occur.

5.

Offering parents extra classes is good in theory but OT, psychology, speech therapy is integral as lifelong support is needed. We must acknowledge they often already have asked for tips/aids to support their kids consequently why support workers are so important - to take the pressure of burnt-out parents.

6.

Thriving kids also puts burden on teachers and schools. Teachers are already severely overworked &underpaid. They already struggle with supporting the disabled

• Submission 2263

children already. An autistic child often struggles with the school system and often school can’t. Again, lead to more pressure on parents and carers.

• Trying “every” therapy - This does not make sense to me at all.

  1. Many treatments/therapies/medications that exist are too expensive even if a disabled person comes from a wealthy background, it can be costly.

  2. How are people in rural areas supposed to access treatments that do not exist near them. A telehealth appointment is not always appropriate or does not exist for every option. How are they supposed to afford to travel to these places (and then pay for treatments)?

  3. Some treatments/therapies/medications may not be appropriate. For example, ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) “therapy” in the Autistic community is just like gay conversion therapy. Why should any autistic child or adult be forced and punished if they do not act neurotypical?

• People have already had their NDIS plans slashed in the last year or so before this bill was introduced and now, they are facing further cuts- 50% cut to social supports one of the critical areas. Let me say this during covid lockdowns everyone got a sample of what it is like for disabled persons. redacted

  1. You cannot simply just leave your home. 2. You cannot just access any public building/shopping centre/park etc and go in as it is not safe. 3. Mental health issues skyrocketed. Is this really what the government wants to be remembered for- segregating disabled persons?

Final comments and statement. I know many others have stated this, but I will reiterate we can agree that

fraud exists but mainly in providers in overcharging in the NDIS. These parameters

Submission 2263

were set by the government. However, stating it is widespread is false when there are

similar (and even worse) levels of fraud in Medicare and in Defence spending is just

malicious. This bill does not fix any of the actual fraud but instead punishes and

discriminated against the disabled community. Also, I will ask why is the government

only giving the Australian Disability community two weeks to examine this

legislation and respond to it? You are elected to represent the people – not appoint

yourself to change someone’s NDIS plan at will as that is an example of

authoritarianism and certainly not Democratic. It has also been noted for every $1 the

government put into the NDIS over $2 is returned to the economy- I am no economist

but that sounds like a good investment to me. The government has also allowed the

Autistic community to be denigrated and scapegoated. As empowered by the

government the media and the public feel free now to belittle and attack those on the

autism spectrum. The media giants in our country have a lot to answer for promoting

distorted stories about people on the NDIS. This bill is blatantly ableist and must be

stopped. It is unethical.