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This March and April, a coalition of Victoria’s leading autism organisations brought Autistic people, families, carers and sector leaders directly into the halls of Parliament. Autism @ Parliament 2026 took place 31 March to 2 April at Queen’s Hall, Parliament of Victoria. Under the banner ‘Allies Take Action’, the coalition called on elected representatives to turn lived experience into structural, legislated change − and the response from across the community was powerful.
Autism @ Parliament creates direct access between Autistic Victorians and the Parliament of Victoria. It is a community-led initiative organised by five of Victoria’s peak autism organisations: Amaze, Yellow Ladybugs, Different Journeys, I CAN Network and Autism Valued.
Autistic people belong at the centre of policy design, not at the margins. Autism @ Parliament is not an awareness event, it’s about amplifying Autistic voices, pushing for consultation and government accountability. The goal is to shift the conversation from symbolic support to measurable, funded reform.
More than 75,000 Victorians are Autistic − and with many people undiagnosed, the true number is expected to be considerably higher. Autistic Victorians face significant barriers across every part of daily life: education, employment, health, housing, justice and social participation. Most systems and services are not designed with Autistic people in mind.
These outcomes are not inevitable. They are the result of systems that were not designed with Autistic people in mind. And we are calling for change.
The coalition is presenting 5 priority reforms to the Victorian Government at Autism @ Parliament 2026. These asks are grounded in evidence, shaped by lived experience, and designed to deliver lasting, measurable change.
The current Victorian Autism Plan expires in mid-2027. This is a pivotal reform moment. We are calling on the Victorian Government to deliver a new Victorian Autism Plan (2027–2032) with innovative, funded actions that strengthen and integrate services, improve navigation and access, and ensure Autistic people and their families receive the right support at the right time.
Critically, we are calling for a Victorian Autism Act to embed this plan in legislation − ensuring sustained whole-of-government accountability that cannot be diluted when strategies expire or governments change. This would be a signature move for Victoria’s national leadership in autism policy.
The new plan must deliver:
Victoria has been a national leader in autism-inclusive education, and the Autism Education Strategy has delivered tangible progress. But Autistic learners and their families continue to face significant barriers, including inadequate adjustments and supports. A renewed Strategy must become school-facing − delivering stronger, more consistent outcomes for individual Autistic students, not just systemic improvements.
A particular priority is school can’t − where sensory, emotional or environmental demands make attendance genuinely impossible from a mental health and wellbeing perspective. An estimated 50% of Autistic student absences are linked to school can’t drivers, yet responses remain fragmented and are often activated far too late. A dedicated School Can’t Action Plan within the renewed Strategy is essential.
The renewed Strategy must:
Many Autistic Victorians are not on the NDIS and face significant barriers to accessing autism-informed, neuro-affirming supports in mainstream and community services. The Thriving Kids initiative will require immediate investment in an autism-capable, neuro-affirming workforce to be delivered well, and it must not replace NDIS access for children who need it.
We are calling on the Victorian Government to:
Healthcare settings are not consistently designed with the sensory, communication and support needs of Autistic people in mind. Autistic people are more likely to delay or avoid healthcare altogether, resulting in compounding unmet needs. The Australian Government’s National Roadmap to Improve the Health and Mental Health of Autistic People (2025–2035) sets the national direction; Victoria now needs its own roadmap to deliver these priorities locally.
We are also calling for the piloting of autism-accessible one-stop health clinics in regional and rural areas, offering a single, coordinated point of care for Autistic people with complex support needs who face barriers in traditional settings.
Key asks include:
Autistic people experience some of the poorest employment outcomes in Australia − an unemployment rate of 18.2%, almost six times that of people without disability − despite strong motivation to work and valuable strengths. Victoria’s RISE initiative, which replaces traditional interviews with structured, accessible discovery days, demonstrates that intentionally designed recruitment practices work. This approach needs to be scaled.
We are calling on the Victorian Government to:
Autism @ Parliament 2026 is organised by Amaze, Yellow Ladybugs, Different Journeys, I CAN Network and Autism Valued − a coalition of Victoria’s leading autism organisations with a long-standing history of advocacy, service delivery and deep sector engagement.
Together, we support government by offering policy insights informed by lived experience; connecting government with Autistic people, families and carers; providing trusted, evidence-informed advice; and improving accessibility and inclusion across workplaces, schools and communities.
Want to know more about Autism @ Parliament and how you can support the push for legislative change? Sign up for the Amaze newsletter to stay across the campaign and follow the advocacy as it unfolds.