MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper will ask the Victorian Government to follow South Australia’s lead and appoint an Assistant Minister for Autism.
“South Australia’s recent appointment of an Assistant Minister for Autism is an exciting development that should improve the lives of people in the autism community, and we need that in Victoria, too,” Ms Cupper said.
“Giving the autism community a direct path to government could help facilitate the significant changes that are needed.”
Ms Cupper has been conducting an autism listening tour in the Mallee over the past few weeks and has learned some key insights so far.
“While I am still gathering information, what’s clear is that local families need more timely access to specialists at the point of diagnosis, and there is a need for either autism schools or autism classrooms in the Mallee,” she said.
“From next year, South Australia will be putting an Autism Inclusion Teacher in every public primary school and will also increase the number of autism qualified staff in pre-schools.
“Victorian autism families are begging for this kind of investment, too. So I will be asking the government to consider the creation of this new portfolio to get the ball rolling.”
