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Findings, Autistic Pride Day Symposium 2024
An autism strategy panel said its measures of success were still unfinished
In short
Two panellists who helped draft the economic inclusion part of the National Autism Strategy described the process at the 2024 Autistic Pride Day Symposium. Others said how success would be measured was unsettled.
Read it instead, 4 minutesThe transcript
The story
Two members of the Melbourne panel on autism strategies at the 2024 Autistic Pride Day Symposium, on 8 June 2024, could describe the draft National Autism Strategy from the inside. One said they had jointly chaired its economic inclusion working group. Another spoke as a member of that working group. Both described the process warmly. Later in the session, panellists said that one of the most important parts of the strategy, how its success would be measured, was still to be worked out.
The joint chair set out the structure. The strategy, the joint chair said, was primarily about building a framework to improve the lives of autistic people. It was led by the Department of Social Services, with an oversight council made up of a range of diverse voices from the autistic community who also had lived experience. The working group was diverse as well, and in economic inclusion its focus was on microenterprises as a way for autistic people to become economically independent.
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Sources the story draws on
- National Autism Strategy 2025 to 2031 (opens in a new tab), Australian Government Department of Social Services
- National Autism Strategy 2025 to 2031, First Action Plan 2025 to 2026 (opens in a new tab), Australian Government Department of Social Services
- Release of the National Autism Strategy 2025-31 (opens in a new tab), Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (health.gov.au)
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