In an act of vileness not seen for at least 50 years the federal government is content to toss a handful of dollars at children with autism. In a perfidious act the federal government is punishing Australian children with autism by offering to fund fewer hours in the early intervention scheme. The scheme recommends federal funding of 20 hours per week over two years but the government funding only covers one hour per week. If that isn’t heartless enough, some of the parents of these children are forced to sell up in order to turn the family home into cash.

Juxtapose that story with the news that the federal government has quietly sought additional funds to deal with the asylum shopper issue. It is seeking an additional AUD$866 over 4 years. Is that the final figure? If you believe that I have an opera house and a harbour bridge that I am trying to off-load. Anyone interested?


Quote:

Cost of autistic children cripples parents up to $50,000 a year PARENTS of autistic children are having to sell their homes or move overseas to access crucial treatment that costs up to $50,000 a year. Federal government guidelines recommend early intervention with a "minimum of 20 hours a week over two or more years" but its funding covers just an hour a week, advocates say. "You're looking at $30,000 to $50,000 a year," said Nicole Rogerson from Autism Awareness Australia. She said the government's "Helping children with autism package" of $6000 a year for two years is a "Band-Aid on a gushing wound" and only wealthy families can afford early intervention. "It's a travesty," she said. Ms Rogerson also runs the Lizard Centre, which provides the clinically proven best practice Applied Behavioural Analysis program but wait lists are long and families are selling their homes to pay for the treatment. Belinda Hitchcock's five-year-old son Bradley was diagnosed with autism two years ago when he could not talk. The family is preparing to sell their Carlingford home to fund the $50,000 required for this year's treatment. [...] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/cost-of-autistic-children-cripples-parents-up-to-50000-a-year/story-e6freuzr-1226269021201

Quote:

Boat arrivals cause $866m black hole, forcing government to beg parliament for more cash ASYLUM seeker arrivals have sparked an $866 million blowout in the budget, forcing the government to rush laws into Parliament begging for more cash. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Parliament will debate the plea for more taxpayer funds this week after they were quietly tabled without fanfare. As another boatload of 127 suspected asylum seekers was detected off Christmas Island yesterday, the government confirmed it would ask for an injection of $330 million this year alone with the total blowout rising to $866 million in four years. The original blowout to the immigration budget, flagged three months ago, has tripled in the wake of boat arrivals following the collapse of the Malaysian solution, ruled unlawful by the High Court. But the government has flagged hikes to visa fees and charges for skilled migrants by $600 million to help protect the budget surplus, prompting Coalition claims the government is penalising entrants who use the "correct processes" to enter Australia. [...] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/boat-arrivals-cause-866m-black-hole-forcing-government-to-beg-parliament-for-more-cash/story-e6freuy9-1226268679460

Does anyone know of a bill before parliament seeking additional funding for children with autism? Please alert us.

Even the Greens, the alleged caring party, isn't making any noise about this. Oh, that's right, the Greens are worried about Jeremy and Johnathan's right to marry.

This government only brings shame on all of us.

Quote:

some of the parents of these children are forced to sell up in order to turn the family home into cash.

We did that to pay for ABA. In 2005. Then the money ran out and we designed our own program.

I know a few other parents who did the same thing. It's certainly not new.

Extra 1000 autistic kids to get funding

February 02, 2009

UP to 1000 more children with autism will be eligible for funding of up to $12,000 after the Rudd Government decided to expand eligibility for its early intervention program after a push by parents.
Under the revised criteria, as many as 1000 more children, who would previously have been ineligible because of their attendance at school, could receive up to $12,000 this year.

And from the child's sixth birthday until they turn seven years of age, continued access to funding would be given special consideration by an autism adviser on a case-by-case basis.

Families Minister Jenny Macklin said changes to the eligibility criteria would allow more children to receive early intervention services and would ensure equal access across all states and territories.

"For families, the toll of caring for and raising a child with ASDs (autism spectrum disorders) can be immense," Ms Macklin said.

Under the changes, children with ASDs will be eligible for support until they reach their sixth birthday, regardless of whether they are attending school or not. Previously children were rendered ineligible for the service once they started school.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten said early intervention for children with ASDs was crucial in helping to integrate them into society.

"Parents and carers who are raising children with ASDs face huge pressures every day," he said. "The individual packages provide practical help and support to them."

Mr Shorten said some parents were disadvantaged because they lived in areas where there was a shortage of places with early intervention help.

"In some cases they're on waiting lists - we don't want them to be disadvantaged because there's a shortage of service providers," he said.

The four-year Helping Children with Autism package, which began in July last year, will help an estimated 9000 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

"They are a chance for children with ASDs to access professional help that is designed specifically for their needs," Mr Shorten said.

The package includes Medicare rebates for ASD diagnosis, and 20 visits to allied health professionals such as occupational therapists and psychologists for children aged up to 12years.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/extra-1000-autistic-kids-to-get-funding/story-e6frg6nf-1111118728249

admittedly neither side of government has covered itself in glory on these areas - the ALP's wastage leaves us no money even if we want to spend the money

given the debt they have racked up - it will be even harder to find the money

Maqqa wrote on Feb 12^th, 2012 at 9:51pm:

admittedly neither side of government has covered itself in glory on these areas - the ALP's wastage leaves us no money even if we want to spend the money given the debt they have racked up - it will be even harder to find the money

The debt would have been incurred no matter who won office Macca....Perhaps it would have been slightly less under the Coalition but then the budget revenue would have been less due to the proposed tax cuts the Coalition where advocating instead of the one off stimulus!!!

If Abbott wins office he is proposing axing policies that will return the budget to surplus and provide the revenue to fund these measures....The carbon tax, mining tax and NBN are all long term measures to provide the revenue required to support our aging population.....What Abbott is proposing is cutting services and doing nothing to provide for future growth!!!

We cannot afford to reduce taxes any further and keep paying for luxuries to the rich and funding the private sector.....If Abbott becomes PM there is no way he can fund the policies he has proposed already let alone find any more revenue to support health education or infrastructure!!!

philperth2010 wrote on Feb 12^th, 2012 at 11:15pm:

Maqqa wrote on Feb 12th, 2012 at 9:51pm: admittedly neither side of government has covered itself in glory on these areas - the ALP's wastage leaves us no money even if we want to spend the money given the debt they have racked up - it will be even harder to find the money The debt would have been incurred no matter who won office Macca....Perhaps it would have been slightly less under the Coalition but then the budget revenue would have been less due to the proposed tax cuts the Coalition where advocating instead of the one off stimulus!!! If Abbott wins office he is proposing axing policies that will return the budget to surplus and provide the revenue to fund these measures....The carbon tax, mining tax and NBN are all long term measures to provide the revenue required to support our aging population.....What Abbott is proposing is cutting services and doing nothing to provide for future growth!!! We cannot afford to reduce taxes any further and keep paying for luxuries to the rich and funding the private sector.....If Abbott becomes PM there is no way he can fund the policies he has proposed already let alone find any more revenue to support health education or infrastructure!!!

I'm sorry, Phil, but Maqqa seems to be congenitally unable to grasp that little fact.

Nor that some debt is not necessarily a bad thing.

Nor that OUR debt is a piddling amount in the great scheme of things.

Nor that.........well. you get the picture.

salad in wrote on Feb 12^th, 2012 at 8:44pm:

In an act of vileness not seen for at least 50 years the federal government is content to toss a handful of dollars at children with autism. In a perfidious act the federal government is punishing Australian children with autism by offering to fund fewer hours in the early intervention scheme. The scheme recommends federal funding of 20 hours per week over two years but the government funding only covers one hour per week. If that isn’t heartless enough, some of the parents of these children are forced to sell up in order to turn the family home into cash. Juxtapose that story with the news that the federal government has quietly sought additional funds to deal with the asylum shopper issue. It is seeking an additional AUD$866 over 4 years. Is that the final figure? If you believe that I have an opera house and a harbour bridge that I am trying to off-load. Anyone interested? Quote: Cost of autistic children cripples parents up to $50,000 a year PARENTS of autistic children are having to sell their homes or move overseas to access crucial treatment that costs up to $50,000 a year. Federal government guidelines recommend early intervention with a "minimum of 20 hours a week over two or more years" but its funding covers just an hour a week, advocates say. "You're looking at $30,000 to $50,000 a year," said Nicole Rogerson from Autism Awareness Australia. She said the government's "Helping children with autism package" of $6000 a year for two years is a "Band-Aid on a gushing wound" and only wealthy families can afford early intervention. "It's a travesty," she said. Ms Rogerson also runs the Lizard Centre, which provides the clinically proven best practice Applied Behavioural Analysis program but wait lists are long and families are selling their homes to pay for the treatment. Belinda Hitchcock's five-year-old son Bradley was diagnosed with autism two years ago when he could not talk. The family is preparing to sell their Carlingford home to fund the $50,000 required for this year's treatment. [...] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/cost-of-autistic-children-cripples-parents-up-to-50000-a-year/story-e6freuzr-1226269021201 [quote] Boat arrivals cause $866m black hole, forcing government to beg parliament for more cash ASYLUM seeker arrivals have sparked an $866 million blowout in the budget, forcing the government to rush laws into Parliament begging for more cash. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Parliament will debate the plea for more taxpayer funds this week after they were quietly tabled without fanfare. As another boatload of 127 suspected asylum seekers was detected off Christmas Island yesterday, the government confirmed it would ask for an injection of $330 million this year alone with the total blowout rising to $866 million in four years. The original blowout to the immigration budget, flagged three months ago, has tripled in the wake of boat arrivals following the collapse of the Malaysian solution, ruled unlawful by the High Court. But the government has flagged hikes to visa fees and charges for skilled migrants by $600 million to help protect the budget surplus, prompting Coalition claims the government is penalising entrants who use the "correct processes" to enter Australia. [...] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/boat-arrivals-cause-866m-black-hole-forcing-government-to-beg-parliament-for-more-cash/story-e6freuy9-1226268679460

Does anyone know of a bill before parliament seeking additional funding for children with autism? Please alert us.

Even the Greens, the alleged caring party, isn't making any noise about this. Oh, that's right, the Greens are worried about Jeremy and Johnathan's right to marry.

This government only brings shame on all of us.

[/quote]
They bring shame on themselves and they make me sick.  It is what it is - an evil corrupt dictatorship, they are pushing the envelope as far as it will stretch.  Till there is a breaking point one way or the other 8-)

corporate_whitey wrote on Feb 13^th, 2012 at 1:37am:

They bring shame on themselves and they make me sick.  It is what it is - an evil corrupt dictatorship, they are pushing the envelope as far as it will stretch.  Till there is a breaking point one way or the other 8-)

Until you use the word racist in your post I won't take you seriously.

philperth2010 wrote on Feb 12^th, 2012 at 9:19pm:

Extra 1000 autistic kids to get funding February 02, 2009 UP to 1000 more children with autism will be eligible for funding of up to $12,000 after the Rudd Government decided to expand eligibility for its early intervention program after a push by parents. Under the revised criteria, as many as 1000 more children, who would previously have been ineligible because of their attendance at school, could receive up to $12,000 this year. And from the child's sixth birthday until they turn seven years of age, continued access to funding would be given special consideration by an autism adviser on a case-by-case basis. Families Minister Jenny Macklin said changes to the eligibility criteria would allow more children to receive early intervention services and would ensure equal access across all states and territories. "For families, the toll of caring for and raising a child with ASDs (autism spectrum disorders) can be immense," Ms Macklin said. Under the changes, children with ASDs will be eligible for support until they reach their sixth birthday, regardless of whether they are attending school or not. Previously children were rendered ineligible for the service once they started school. Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten said early intervention for children with ASDs was crucial in helping to integrate them into society. "Parents and carers who are raising children with ASDs face huge pressures every day," he said. "The individual packages provide practical help and support to them." Mr Shorten said some parents were disadvantaged because they lived in areas where there was a shortage of places with early intervention help. "In some cases they're on waiting lists - we don't want them to be disadvantaged because there's a shortage of service providers," he said. The four-year Helping Children with Autism package, which began in July last year, will help an estimated 9000 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. "They are a chance for children with ASDs to access professional help that is designed specifically for their needs," Mr Shorten said. The package includes Medicare rebates for ASD diagnosis, and 20 visits to allied health professionals such as occupational therapists and psychologists for children aged up to 12years. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/extra-1000-autistic-kids-to-get-funding/story-e6frg6nf-1111118728249

Good point Phil. Let me see if I can trump it.


Quote:

What was that in aid of? How Canberra is generous to a fault Australia's foreign aid budget is expanding dramatically, and taxpayers should be worried. Not because aid has doubled in the past five years, to $4.3 billion, and will double again in the next five years, to $8.6 billion. No, taxpayers should be concerned because the government does not have a clear plan for how it is going to use that money, and prevent it being wasted. [...] http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/what-was-that-in-aid-of-how-canberra-is-generous-to-a-fault-20101104-17fov.html

So it's more important to build Islamic schools in Indonesia, contruct a road in dirt poor Serif Omra (where car ownership is enjoyed by 20 people) or waste on one of those agencies used by our government to hand out dosh.

Well done Phil. Can you think of more ways to be profligate with our taxes? If we are going to spend our taxes I want it spent on AUSTRALIANS first.