We call on members and candidates to commit to supporting a Parliamentary Friends of Cerebral Palsy group in the 48th Federal Parliament – giving a voice to people with cerebral palsy to create meaningful change and improve their quality of life.
Cerebral palsy is the most common lifelong physical disability globally – 50 million people in the world live with cerebral palsy. Despite advances in research, cerebral palsy remains underfunded and misunderstood, with people living with cerebral palsy experiencing significant barriers in healthcare, education, employment, and social participation.
The State of Cerebral Palsy in Australia:
- Over 34,000 Australians live with cerebral palsy.
- 1.2 babies are born with cerebral palsy every day.
- 30% of Australians with cerebral palsy live in regional rural or remote Australia.
- Cerebral palsy costs the Australian economy $5.17 billion annually, in lost productivity, efficiency, and support.
- 3% of NDIS participants have primary disability of cerebral palsy. As result of their complex needs, people with cerebral palsy have one of the highest average participant plans (~$156,600/participant) totalling $2.76 billion in payments in 2024 (12% increase on previous year).
The 2020 Australia and New Zealand Strategy aims to improve the health, function, participation and quality of life of people with cerebral palsy and their families. With this election we call on the following priority areas:
Make early diagnosis for infants at risk of cerebral palsy a national priority
- Although cerebral palsy can be diagnosed from 12 weeks of age, 75% of Australian infants aren’t diagnosed until after six months.
- Establishing a national network of early diagnosis clinics with a universal screening process will ensure early diagnosis for all at-risk infants, giving them the best chance to thrive.
Ensure early intervention meets the needs of children and families
- A proactive, evidence-based early intervention approach will greatly improve outcomes for individuals with cerebral palsy, enhancing their function and mobility.
- It will also ease the burden on families and parents and reduce costs for the NDIS and healthcare systems.
Ensure adults with cerebral palsy have equitable access to universal preventative health programs
- People with cerebral palsy are living longer, increasing their risk of cancer.
- Lower participation rates in cancer screening, the complexity of the condition in combination with other health issues makes recovery from cancer and treatments harder.
- Ensuring people with cerebral palsy participate in cancer screening is crucial for early detection, reducing mortality rates, and lowering healthcare costs.
Ensure a more equitable, accessible society for adults with cerebral palsy
- By ensuring national access standards across the built environment and public transport, national support standards in education, and inclusive employment practices we can improve the quality of life and economic outcomes of people living with cerebral palsy and improve access across society in general.
You can support our election priorities to improve outcomes for people with cerebral palsy by speaking to your local MP about the need for a Parliamentary Friends of Cerebral Palsy group and by sharing this post to raise awareness in your own networks.
Click here to download the full Cerebral Palsy Australia 2025 Election Priorities PDF
For more information about voting as a person with disability, visit the Information for people with disability page on the AEC website.
