Autism

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (12:55): By leave, I move my motion in an amended form:

That this house—

(a) supports South Australians living with autism to fully participate in society using their fundamental rights and freedoms;

(b) recognises World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April 2019;

(c) recommits to ensuring South Australians living with autism are finally given every opportunity to participate at school, in the workplace and out in their communities; and

(d) thanks all service staff and volunteers who help provide the support South Australians living with autism often call upon.

I am thrilled today to move this motion. Thank you for the opportunity today to speak on this motion. While it is a few months away, World Autism Awareness Day will certainly be one that is filled with autism-friendly events and educational activities. We will see a sea of blue lighting up many buildings and public places in South Australia and worldwide. It is a tremendous way to commemorate such an important occasion. I wish to thank all those involved locally in our autism community and also the global community.

As the shadow minister for human services, I have spent the past 12 months meeting with, listening to and advocating on behalf of many South Australians who are extraordinarily vulnerable and unable to advocate on their own behalf. It is our role as elected parliamentarians to make sure that we are available out in the community and that we are seeing and able to speak on behalf of people, particularly those who are vulnerable and living with autism.

Their homes, workplaces, community centres and schools are places where they are comfortable to talk with us, and that is why I am very grateful for the fact that I have an office out in the local community in order to access those people who live with such challenges. If I were here just in the city, I would not have that opportunity, so I am grateful for that. I am sure soon I will be in my electorate which will be even closer. I am thankful to those I have met with in my community and right across the state who have been so open and inspiring in the way that they have shared their stories.

I am very lucky to be able to use this opportunity to pay tribute to the board and the staff of Autism SA. The board is represented today by Tanya Lancaster, who is a constituent of the member for King, I understand. She does a great job with a dynamic and agile team at Autism SA, which is ably led by the chief executive officer, Jenny Karavolos, who I have spent many hours with in order to understand the intricacies and the challenges faced by those with autism. Their phone services, their advocacy and their programs contribute greatly to our community.

I place on record my support for their organisation and, in fact, all other organisations in our community that do great work in this space. I have met many hardworking and dedicated organisations that work in that space. With that, with the few seconds I have, I commend the motion to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Pederick.

Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 13:59.