Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to congratulate the member for Kingston for bringing this really important motion to the parliament. I know she is a woman that is committed to areas of disability and to helping people reach their potential—and that is what this motion is about. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the fact that the Labor government's $220 million Helping Children with Autism package has delivered to parents. It was like turning the light on. For years and years parents with children that had autism were scraping and trying to go from one service provider to another service provider, and they were never getting their needs fulfilled. It was only those parents that had the finances to be able to pay for those services out of their own pockets that could actually deliver to their children. This has created a level playing field, where all children suffering from autism or any of the disorders that are on the autism spectrum can access services.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability characterised by difficulties in social interaction, impaired communication, restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours, and sensory sensitivities. Before I became a member of parliament I used to work with people with disabilities. I had a male client with autism and another with Aspergers. Autism and ASD, autism spectrum disorders, are much more common in males than in females. Both of these young men had exceptional abilities. One was absolutely brilliant when it came to electronics. He could do just about everything with electronics and I managed to help him secure a job. Unfortunately, because he did not have the social skills, he could not communicate and interact and he ended up losing that job. The other young man swam for Australia in Special Olympics teams. He had autism. He went to a special school. I believe that if the programs that are available now had been available for him when he was younger he would have achieved a lot more than he has been able to achieve.

Autism and disorders on that spectrum are disorders where you can get the best outcomes for a person who suffers from that disorder if there is early intervention. My niece is probably one of the best trained health professionals in Australia on autism. She trained overseas and is now working in a private practice. For years she lobbied me about the importance of early intervention. I wrote to the previous government, the Howard government, and tried to encourage them to do something about providing services at that early age for young people who had ASD. Unfortunately nothing happened. Only now are there programs available for young people, programs that allow them to get the services they need. It is giving them the opportunity to enjoy things that other children enjoy and develop the skills and knowledge that will help them in later life.

I know this is an issue that the member for Kingston is passionate about and it is with great pleasure that I support her in this motion. I know that this government is determined to see that all children who suffer from autism have access to early intervention, because it is early intervention that makes a difference in their lives.

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