Emma Davidson says she wants to change the way people think about disability. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The ACT Greens will establish a dedicated centre for neurodivergence if they lead government after the ACT October election as part of a raft of policies that aim to change attitudes towards people with a disability.
The centre will provide free advice, support, assessment and diagnosis for the neurodivergent – people whose brains develop or work differently from that of a typical person (such as those on the Autism spectrum).
If established, the facility would be the first publicly funded facility of its type in Australia. A psychology practice called ‘Centre For Neurodiversity’ operates in Mardi on the Central Coast in NSW but is a private facility that charges clients fees for its services.
The proposed ACT centre would be for “a parent wondering if your child might be neurodivergent, a teacher wanting to support a student’s learning, someone wanting to work with the strengths of a neurodivergent colleague, a carer for someone with complex or co-occurring needs … or [a person] seeking information about your own possible neurodivergence”.
Under a policy platform called ‘disability pride’, the Greens also proposes to:
- Fund a business peak body to support employers across the ACT to create more inclusive and accessible workplaces that provide a liveable wage ($1.2 million).
- Fund 20 students each year to do the DeafConnect Diploma of AUSLAN to enable more Canberrans to become proficient in Auslan and help those who are hard of hearing ($1 million).
- Support and resource a community organisation to facilitate a peer support network for the families and carers of young children (up to nine years old) who have a disability ($600,000).
- Create an additional grant program focused on disability pride, which will celebrate people with disability and recognise the way their bodies and minds work as a normal part of human existence ($600,000).
Some 20 students will be funded to train in AUSLAN as part of the pledge. Photo: ANU.
Emma Davidson, current Minister for Mental Health and a Greens candidate for Murrumbidgee, said the disability pride platform aims to break the mould of society’s expectations and focus on a strengths-based understanding of disability rather than a medicalised model.
“We all want Canberra to be accessible and inclusive – where everyone can have an active, fulfilling and happy life,” she said.
“But for the one in five people who have a disability, they still face many barriers to participation, inclusion and the basic levels of respect we all want and deserve. Disability exists because of the barriers our society has put up. We all have a responsibility to remove them so everyone can have equal rights and access across our city.
“The ACT Greens have a plan to break down society’s physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers so everyone can be empowered to live their best in Canberra.”
There are around 80,000 Canberrans who identify as having a disability, about 20 per cent of the total population.
In April 2024, the ACT Government released a 10-year plan to improve living standards and opportunities for those with a disability.
The Greens are currently the minority coalition partner in the Labor-led ACT Government.
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