SA appoints special minister for autism, an Australian first

A new state government minister will have the sole responsibility of ensuring the autism community is represented. The landmark appointment is a national first.

A new state government minister will have the sole responsibility of implementing a suite of autism-specific policies and ensuring the autism community is represented in a landmark national-first.

Emily Bourke, who is also assistant minister to Premier Peter Malinauskas, has taken up the new role of Assistant Minister for Autism.

Mr Malinauskas said her appointment was part of a government-led effort to have autism viewed as an opportunity rather than disability.

“My ambition is that South Australia is the national leader when it comes to people who are from the neurodiverse community, we want to be a policy leader when it comes to engaging with people who have autism,” he said.

“One of the virtues of governments of our size is we do have the capacity to lead in these types of policy areas.”

As part of her role, Ms Bourke will establish the Autism Education Advisory Group – made up of people with autism, parents with lived experience, experts, community stakeholders and unions – to ensure policies are supported by consultation.

She will oversee a $28.8m investment to appoint an autism lead teacher in public primary schools, look to increase the number of autism-qualified staff in preschools and work with service providers to offer early-intervention services in children’s centres.

Premier Peter Malinauskas with Oaklan, 4, his mum Paige Carter, centre, and Assistant Minister for Autism Emily Bourke. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

The government has also committed $50m to fund 100 extra speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists and counsellors for access in public schools.

However, Mr Malinauskas said Ms Bourke’s scope will extend beyond children and schools.

A new State Autism Strategy will operate with the State Disability Plan and require all government agencies to sign-up to an autism-friendly charter, and be “alive to the potential of employing people with autism”.

Autism, which is a spectrum of neurological difference in the way individuals experience the world around them, is the largest primary disability group in the NDIS. SA sits above the national average, with 39 per cent of NDIS participants having autism.

Ms Bourke said the government had responded to widespread calls for reform.

“After years of advocacy by the autism community … I can tell you, this government is listening. And we have heard you,” she said.

Her appointment was welcomed by people with autism and their families, including Dr Julie McMillan, a senior lecturer in inclusive and specialised education at Flinders University and her daughter Hannah, 19, in her second year of a Bachelor of Medical Science, and Paige Carter and her four-year-old son, Oaklan.

“It will help our kids have the life they deserve,” Ms Carter said.