National Autism Strategy launched
Autism CRC welcomes the release of the National Autism Strategy (the Strategy), launched along with the First Action Plan 2025-26 by the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP on 14 January.
The Strategy lays out a framework to build understanding and a safe and inclusive society – one that is supportive of all autistic Australians, providing opportunities to learn, participate and grow throughout their lives.
The 22 commitments in the Strategy addresses needs identified by the community in three key areas of reform:
- social inclusion
- economic inclusion
- diagnosis, services and supports.
It aims at a more consistent national approach to better support autistic people, their families and carers. Additional health-related commitments are to be included in the fourth pillar underpinning the new national Strategy, the National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic people, being led by the Minister for Health and Aged Care and his Department.
The First Action Plan accompanying the Strategy identifies a substantive set of initial actions against the 22 Strategy commitments to be undertaken across 2025 and 2026. Together, these actions address commitments on social inclusion, economic inclusion and diagnosis, services and supports, as well as building the capacity, evidence, governance and policy underpinnings necessary to the successful delivery of the Strategy.
“For too long, autistic Australians have encountered obstacles to opportunity and appropriate supports, leading to significant disadvantage for life outcomes, for example, in health, education and employment. The delivery of Australia’s first national autism strategy is noteworthy of itself – being developed with and for autistic people, their families and carers, together with those who support them. As such, it signals the joint intent of community and government to break down these barriers and provide equitable opportunities for learning, participation and wellbeing,” said Andrew Davis, CEO of Autism CRC.
“It is pleasing to see an immediate focus on action, with the release of the First Action Plan. There is much work yet to be done in defining and implementing the further actions needed to deliver the Strategy’s goals over its 7-year term. We commend the commitment to the leadership role of autistic people, seen in the Strategy’s development, continuing through its delivery phase – from definition of need and action to implementation, evaluation, research and governance. We also commend the commitment to the Strategy and actions being underpinned by the best available evidence, from research and the wisdom and experience of autistic people, their families and carers, and the people that work to support them, ” said Mr Davis.
Many have contributed to the Strategy’s development and must be thanked for their time and effort. Autism CRC thanks the Australian Government, the members of the National Autism Strategy Oversight Council and the Working Groups, and the hundreds of thousands of individuals and organisations who have contributed to the Strategy. We have been pleased to play a role in that process and look forward to continuing to support the community and government in delivery of the Strategy’s vision, goal and commitments over the coming years.
The Strategy is to be delivered over 7 years from 2025 to 2031. All documents, including Easy Read versions are available from the DSS website.