How did your connection with Aspect first begin?
My sister Jennifer was diagnosed Autistic at the age of eleven by Dr Vern Barnett, the founder of Aspect. At that stage there was no school and very limited opportunities for any sort of professional care. As a result, my Mum and Dad made the heroic choice of caring for her for the rest of their long lives.
Ironically, it was after Mum and Dad had passed that Jennifer’s fortunes took a turn for the better. For four years she thrived in a share home where she found adventure, engagement and a routine she cherished until her passing from cancer at the age of sixty.
What is one memory or moment from your time with Aspect that has stayed with you over the years?
The thrill for me as a Patron of Aspect, has been the opportunity to see new schools come on line, with a particular enjoyment at seeing the upgrade of the original Vern Barnett school.
From your perspective, how has society's understanding of autism changed since you first became involved with Aspect?
In my time as Patron I have seen autism move from the mysterious to the mainstream. The spectrum is now understood by the general community in a way I thought would take decades to achieve. This has taken many shoulders to the wheel, from the active neurodivergent, to families, to those with means, to those who raised the funds, to those happy to talk about it in public.
What does inclusion for Autistic people mean to you personally, and how have you seen it take shape in your community?
Inclusion for Autistic people is wonderful to see. Just recently I watched Portrait of the Year on the ABC. It is hosted by the hugely likeable Luke McGregor. When he introduced Josh Thomas as the model, they both acknowledged their place on the spectrum, as naturally as one might discuss hair style. Such a moment would have been unimaginable until recently.
It always makes me wonder what life could have been like for my sister, who spent most of her time in a state of extreme confusion, had she been born in a more fortunate age. Had she had Aspect. At the time, the only treatment available to her was mood altering drugs prescribed by our local GP, who, no doubt, was trying his best.
The truth is, that for our family having autism come into our lives saw the blinds come down on the house. We became insular and defensive. And often embarrassed. Jennifer had a most perverse sense of humour.
I can look back at it now with a tradesman’s appreciation. She took immense delight in embarrassing us. Dad in particular. In company, she was wont to say when there was a lull in conversation ‘Dad wipes her bottom, now.’ Then in Dad’s voice ‘lean forward, darling.’
If the street was busy, she might run out of the house through the front door bellowing ‘he’s got an axe!!’. ‘Tom has an axe!!’
You've been Aspect's Patron for many years and have seen the organisation evolve considerably over that time. As Aspect celebrates 60 years, what are you most proud to have witnessed, and what does being part of Aspect's story mean to you personally?
The journey for me with Aspect has been a profound one. One of the great success stories is my cousin’s boy who was enrolled in an Aspect school, graduating into the mainstream for years 10, 11 and 12. After graduating from University, he is now working full time in IT.
It’s a sign of the times that people living on the spectrum are now a welcome part of the tapestry of our community. Not only are they part of us, they are us.
John Doyle AM is one of Australia’s most respected writers, performers, broadcasters and comedians, with a career spanning radio, television, theatre and documentary.
Best known to many Australians as Roy Slaven, alongside Greig Pickhaver’s HG Nelson, John has been a fixture of Australian broadcasting for four decades. His acclaimed writing credits include the ABC television series Changi and Marking Time, while his extensive body of work has earned numerous Australian Writers’ Guild, Logie and AFI awards.
John has served as Patron of Aspect since 2006. Drawing on his own family’s experience, John has been a longstanding supporter of Aspect’s work and has helped raise awareness of autism and support for Autistic people and their families.
