Autism Works Grant

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:47): Supplementary: of the organisations that received funding, what was the basis for them receiving funding? Were any organisations denied grant funding and, if so, what was the basis of them being denied?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:47): I have really no idea in regard to what grant funding—are you talking about the Autism Works grant?

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo: The grants that you just spoke about.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Yes. The Autism Works grant that I spoke about has just been opened. It is open at the moment, so people can apply for the Autism Works grant if they have an idea about how to make more inclusive workplaces, build more knowledge, understanding and belonging in their workplace. Yesterday was a really significant step, one that I understand the opposition did not decide to join in. There were over 500 people there, from business leaders, Property Council, Nick Addison from—

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo interjecting:

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: You did, actually. The Leader of the Opposition did receive an invitation but did not attend. That is what I have been advised and seen.

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti interjecting:

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: No. You might want to go back and check that. Maybe he also wants to sign a charter, when you are checking it. Yesterday was a significant achievement, when 500 people came together in one room to find out how we can change a really alarming statistic in our state. That statistic is: if you are autistic, you are three times more likely to be unemployed than someone else with another disability. That needs to change. We cannot change that until we start building knowledge.

If we don't build knowledge by bringing the community together to have this discussion, to provide training led by an autistic person, training that has now been provided to 500 leaders in our state so that they can go back as employers and work with their communities to start building more knowledge in their workplaces, we will not be able to change employment initiatives—what an interview process looks like, what an ad in a newspaper looks like, or online—we will not be able to change that statistic.

Yesterday was an incredible achievement, one the opposition was certainly not a part of and one that you are still not a part of in signing a charter that recognises why we should be supporting employment initiatives.