<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A mum of twins with autism has called the plan to divert hundreds of thousands of kids with autism </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ndis-changes-children-with-mild-autism-what-does-this-mean-for-them-explainer/74639ec2-a4f5-4b6d-b92a-7d2e055a39d9" rel="" target="_blank" title="off the NDIS"><span>off the NDIS</span></a><span> "a betrayal of our children".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last week, Federal Health Minister Mark Butler proposed moving children with "mild to moderate" autism or developmental delays </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ndis-news-health-minister-announces-new-program-for-children-with-autism-diverting-away-from-ndis/4b7c5375-e3d3-4832-b744-a5b7b1c25923" rel="" target="_blank" title="onto a new 'Thriving Kids' program"><span>onto a new Thriving Kids program</span></a><span> instead.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said the $46 billion scheme has become too big and expensive and the government wants to scale growth down from 8 per cent to 6 per cent.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/erin-patterson-mushroom-triple-murderer-prepares-to-face-her-victims/74768c8b-70b9-4675-942b-fdcb7db11270" target="_blank"><strong><span>Erin Patterson's only surviving victim forgives her, asks for confession</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Butler's announcement came in the wake of a </span><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/seven-in-10-new-people-joining-ndis-for-autism-20250819-p5mo44.html" target="_blank" title="Sydney Morning Herald"><em><span>Sydney Morning Herald</span></em></a><span> report which found seven in 10 new people were joining the NDIS for autism.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It also revealed 56,000 people who signed up for the NDIS between June 2024 and June 2025 had autism listed as their chief diagnosis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to Butler, the scheme is "not the right fit" for all of them.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/ndis-children-mild-moderate-autism-diverted-thriving-kids-betrayal/aa199a5f-7c7e-4732-b777-67c0e0cecbbc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he assured the nation that "some people for whom autism is permanent" will remain on the NDIS.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Those words left Adelaide mum Lisa Goodwin fuming.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When Butler said that, I was screaming at the TV and crying," she told 9news.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's because autism is a lifelong diagnosis – and that's something the person making decisions about the future of Australian children with autism should know, she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Have you got a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter Maddison Leach at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:mleach@nine.com.au" target="_blank" title="mleach@nine.com.au"><strong><em><span>mleach@nine.com.au</span></em></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We fight so hard as families with autistic kids [but] he doesn't seem to have any idea," Goodwin said of Butler's comment and his proposed plan.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It shows a lack of understanding for the autism community."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now she's terrified that lack of understanding could see vital supports ripped out from under her children and countless others.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Families blindsided</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span></span></strong><span>Goodwin's nine-year-old twins have been on the NDIS for most of their lives.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I had to apply three times before I got them onto it," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Now I've just finished a two-year fight with the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) and with the NDIS lawyers because they cut [the twins'] funding."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now the twins are on a non-flexible funding plan which allows them to access occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychology and more.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Managing their NDIS plans on top of daily medications, specialist appointments, and education is exhausting.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a constant fight for your child, the constant advocating, constantly having to prove your child is struggling," Goodwin said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But she'd rather jump through hoops to keep her kids on the NDIS than see them diverted to a new program she knows nothing about.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many parents in the autism community feel the same way.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>What is 'mild and moderate' autism?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Only children with "mild to moderate" autism will be diverted from the NDIS under the new plan, but what that means and how it will be assessed remains unclear.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's a red flag for disability advocate and board member of the Regional Autistic Engagement Network (RAEN) Heidi La Paglia Reid.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"'Mild and moderate' autism aren't actually valid terms," she told 9news.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They are not terms used by diagnostic criteria, and they do not accurately reflect people's needs."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are three levels of severity of autism spectrum disorder per the DSM-5, the standard classification of mental disorders: level 1 - requiring support, level 2 - requiring substantial support, and level 3 - requiring very substantial support.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But even within those levels, support needs are not linear.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You can't just say, 'well, your autism is mild, so therefore you have no support needs,' because it just doesn't work like that," La Paglia Reid said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>The Thriving Kids question</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Children classified as having mild to moderate autism will be moved onto the new Thriving Kids program by July 2027 and the Australian government's initial investment for the program will be $2 billion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But families have been told very little about what the program actually entails.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's no details, no transparency, no guarantee to access therapy or meaningful support," Goodwin said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-08/thriving-kids-fact-sheet.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="fact sheet"><span>fact sheet</span></a><span> from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said Thriving Kids will "focus on identifying developmental concerns earlier" and establishing a national system of supports by building on existing mainstream and community services.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/brandon-smith-charged-queensland-police/d335657f-7d8b-45bd-90ba-0ffcdcd312fc" target="_blank"><strong><span>NRL star Brandon Smith charged over alleged drug supply, betting offences</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>La Paglia Reid fears this could lead to a "one size fits all" approach, to the detriment of children with autism.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Thriving Kids will essentially take away individualised supports from families and from children, and instead offer block funded programs," La Paglia Reid said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But we know that autistic children are not all the same, people have different needs and require different supports, and that is the benefit of the NDIS."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Butler also said the government has been considering initiatives like bulk billed child development assessments and Medicare rebates for allied health supports for families no longer eligible for the NDIS.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But that could price some out of being able to afford support services at all.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is going to particularly disadvantage single mums, families on low incomes, First Nations families," La Paglia Reid said.</span></div></div><div class="player__video-container"><img alt="" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/puBQ7-F3--ic1de8B6t4WSSz7W4=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2Fvms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F2025%2F06%2F700736%2Fpickerimage.jpg"/></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>New plan could disproportionately affect girls</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Research has shown that girls and women with autism tend to be diagnosed later than their male counterparts, if they're diagnosed at all.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Goodwin's daughter was diagnosed almost four years later than her twin brother.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Most diagnostic criteria for autism are based on how it presents in males, and females tend to be better at masking their symptoms, meaning they're often perceived as needing less support.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>La Paglia Reid worries this could lead to girls with autism disproportionately being lumped into the government's 'mild to moderate' category.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We know that women and girls are already under-serviced by the NDIS and by disability supports and this is likely to only widen that gap even further," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/spring-weather-forecast-australia-2025-what-to-expect-everything-to-know-explainer/3e51b48f-caf0-474c-8466-2a6a38451a18" target="_blank"><strong><span>A warmer and wetter spring in store for much of Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2025/03/03/10/08/the-10-industries-where-australia-gender-pay-gap-has-widened-in-the-past-year"><img alt="The gender pay gap has widened in 10 industries in the past year " sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/B1bHM84-4w7znEI33HA2QAzF4oE=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fec4cbcde-c32d-4499-b7fa-0c89425f538a" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/B1bHM84-4w7znEI33HA2QAzF4oE=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fec4cbcde-c32d-4499-b7fa-0c89425f538a 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/MaM90G_oHLeT5wybfXHmb01twlo=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fec4cbcde-c32d-4499-b7fa-0c89425f538a 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">The gender pay gap has widened in these 10 Aussie industries in the past year</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2025/03/03/10/08/the-10-industries-where-australia-gender-pay-gap-has-widened-in-the-past-year">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>'The NDIS is life-saving, not a luxury'</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Thriving Kids program is slated to roll out in phases, with the first services to be available from as early as July 2026.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Families like Goodwin's have less than a year to prepare their children (and bank accounts) for what might happen if they're forced off the NDIS.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She started a Change.org </span><a href="https://www.change.org/p/stop-autistic-kids-being-transferred-from-ndis-to-thriving-kids?source_location=search" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="petition"><span>petition</span></a><span> calling to halt the plan, as did </span><a href="https://www.change.org/p/protect-autistic-kids-stop-the-thriving-kids-behaviour-program?source_location=search" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="RAEN"><span>RAEN</span></a><span>. They now have a combined 12,000 signatures.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our children are not ill, they are not going to get 'better'," Goodwin said</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They are autistic and it's with them for life so we need to ensure that they will grow up to be the best they can be.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The NDIS is life-saving, not a luxury."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>La Paglia Reid added that, though the plan may well cut NDIS costs, it could hurt Australia's bottom line.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://percapita.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NDS_031121_per-capita-report.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="2021 report"><span>2021 report</span></a><span> estimated that every dollar spent on the NDIS puts $2.25 back into the economy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Ripping those supports away is actually going to cost the government money longer term," La Paglia Reid said</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think that the government has a lot of things to answer for."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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