Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I rise to shine a light on Daniel Giles, a member of my community who is on the autism spectrum. Just recently, Daniel conducted a 24-hour walk with three other people in an effort to raise funds for Turn A Life Around, a program which uses the money from this fundraiser to purchase electronic equipment such as iPads to assist others with autism. Autism is a growing problem in our communities, and in none more than my own community of Bendigo. Because of the lack of resources that are being made available, because of the funding cuts we have seen to education, because schools just do not have the resources that would have been delivered under Gonski, the autism community in my electorate is getting on with the job of funding themselves. Through fundraisers like Turn A Life Around, through autism walks and through doing their own community work, they are raising the necessary funds to help their kids to purchase the equipment they need to get through school Autism is an issue, and it is a growing issue in our community.

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