Our precious children deserve more than the “Thriving Kids” program – it can’t be the only life boat
Jenny Karavolos (Co-Chair | Australian Autism Alliance) has responded to the recent media comments by Phillip Thompson, OAM MP on the topic of the “Thriving Kids” program for 0-9 year olds, recently announced by The Hon. Mark Butler MP. He is the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care and the Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
In an Ai transcript of Mr Thompson’s words, he spoke of the dual challenges of working towards Scheme sustainability and being the parent of his Autistic daughter.
He said “There is nothing more important that we can do in this place as parliamentarians than to look after our most vulnerable, to make sure that they are supported, to make sure that they have the services they need to live their best life.
As a member of the coalition, I sit with two minds when I talk about the NDIS, one of them definitely needs reform, absolutely.
And I also sit with a heavy heart and great anxiety because my daughter, Astin, seven years old, is on the NDIS. She has level three autism and changes that get made quickly, changes that get made without consultation or minimal consultation, terrifies me as a father, terrifies me for my daughter’s future. And I’m not the only person in this Parliament or this country that is looking at the changes to the NDIS with lots of fear.
I know that reform is needed. I get that. I understand it, but it must be done in a way where participants aren’t waking up in the morning finding out that things have changed.
I understand why the government is making changes, but I can’t understand how the participants or the providers in regional Australia in Townsville wake up on in the morning and find out that things have changed or been given only 10 working days to provide any sort of response, this risks our participants losing support that they need, and without these early interventions, without interventions now, they won’t be able to live their best lives into the future. That’s why it’s so important that we bring on this debate speak about our most vulnerable.”
When asked for a comment by national media outlets, in response to Mr. Thompson’s statements, Jenny Karavolos (Co-Chair | Australian Autism Alliance) wrote:
“It’s understandable that many feel fear right now—but not for the reasons government or society might assume. We all want the NDIS to be sustainable and for Australia’s economy to thrive. We all agree that social licence is vital for the Scheme’s future.
But framing support as ‘wasteful’ undermines the core principle of the NDIS: individualised, needs-based planning. Some children need more intensive support; others need less. Early support is not a luxury—it’s a right that all children have in Australia. Failing to provide this is what I am starting to label as the ‘Australian Lost Potential Tax’.
Families are being told a new system is coming, but at the moment, people would feel like they are being handballed into an undefined process, with no clear guarantees that support will be suitable, affordable, accessible, and available—precisely when early intervention matters most.
The proposed ‘Thriving Kids’ program aims to build on mainstream systems, but multiple reviews—including the NDIS Review, Disability Royal Commission, and National Autism Strategy—have shown the mainstream ecosystem is broken, with significant accountability gaps.
The reality:
- It is already hard to secure services.
- The Senate Inquiry on Autism found out of 81 recommendations that the biggest barrier to inclusion is lack of autism knowledge, skills, and confidence across the system.
- We have statistics such as Autistic preschoolers are 10 times more likely to be permanently excluded from preschool.
There are excellent existing programs, and they should continue and be built on. But this cannot be the only solution without fixing systemic barriers.
Given this, then why start here, focused on the children?
History tells us no. The NDIS was created because children with developmental disabilities—including autism—were missing out on early and adequate support. The Productivity Commission emphasised that investing early reduces future costs. We must learn from that lesson.
We cannot let children fall through the cracks while adults work on reforms. This is not an either/or. Like trapeze artists who want to avoid harm, children need a safety net.
We must not create a two-tier system where only children with the highest needs remain on the NDIS while others are pushed into a mainstream system that has historically failed them.
What’s needed:
- No-Gap Protections: No child should lose support until suitable, affordable, and accessible alternatives are in place and proven to work.
- Whole-of-system reform: Build truly inclusive education, health, employment, and justice systems. Fix systemic gaps rather than shifting children into failing systems.
Hence, we are serious about unlocking potential, improving outcomes, and avoiding massive future costs and failed investment, reforms must be holistic and accountable.
Minister Mark Butler, we are relying on your vision. Every child is precious. The ‘Thriving Kids’ program cannot be the only lifeboat—our children deserve more.
Looking ahead, this moment does offer a unique opportunity for coordinated reform to occur , as Minister Butler acknowledged, given his dual portfolio responsibilities for Health and NDIS. As the Minister said, ‘there is much work to be done’ – and we stand ready to work in partnership.”
If you would like to contact Jenny, please email them at the address below:
Jenny Karavolos (she/her) | Co-chair, Australian Autism Alliance
E:chair@australianautismalliance.org.au