Hi Vicky,

Recently, the Federal Government announced that it will be making significant changes to how it supports children under 8 with mild to moderate developmental delay and autism, and their families.

These changes will come through a new Thriving Kids initiative, which will commence from July 1^st 2026 and has been referred to a parliamentary committee for review.

I know this will impact many families in our community and our office has already received correspondence from constituents voicing their feedback. To ensure that this program meets the real and evolving needs of our kids, I will be making a submission to the inquiry on behalf of Wentworth.

As part of this process, I’m running an online survey and would love to hear your thoughts. Whether you’re a parent, a health professional or an educator – your feedback is important and will shape my submission.

To fill out the survey, please click the link below. If you know someone in Wentworth who this may apply to, please feel free to pass the link on.

If you would like more information on the Thriving Kids initiative, please see the Government’s fact sheet by clicking here.

I understand that this change will affect many families in our community and our office is here to help. If you have any other concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at [email protected]

I look forward to keeping the community updated on this issue.

Waverley’s New STEM+ Opportunity Class

In great news - Waverley Public School has announced a new STEM+ enrichment class for Year 5 and 6 students, starting in 2026.

This is a selective academic class focused on growing academic achievement across the curriculum, but with a particular focus on the areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

I was very glad to write to the NSW Minister for Education advocating for more enrichment classes in our area so I’m delighted to see an exciting new opportunity for local kids.

Applications are currently open for students in Year 4 and 5 from all school sectors and will close at 5pm on Thursday 23^rd October.

To learn more about the program and submit an expression of interest, please click the button below.

In the Media

• ABC News – on the importance of having a respectful debate on migration focused on the facts
• Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps – discussing tax policy, housing and why economic prosperity is so important for our liberal democracy

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance please don't hesitate to reach out to my office.

Warm regards,

Allegra Spender MP