Kristen Desmond is closing her lobby group but will continue to speak out on disability matters

Kristen Desmond of Launceston has vowed to keep fighting for students after a tireless campaign she began 13 years ago when her son was just five.

She formed the Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby in 2012 and fought until needs based funding was introduced in schools in 2020.

"It grew much bigger than I thought it would and was an essential service to parents," Ms Desmond said.

"I feel like I am letting people down but we have achieved the two things we set out to - a review of the system and to change it.

"The resourcing system has gone from an inequitable outdated system to a nation leading truly needs based one with Tasmania now in a nation leading position.

"It will have very little or minimal impact on my children but it will have maximum impact on those students who come after them.

Ms Desmond's three children are all on the autism spectrum.

As well as working full-time, she has been on as many as four state working groups and taken part in national lobbying groups.

Ms Desmond says she is proud of what the lobby group achieved and will continue to speak out.

"It's in my DNA to be an advocate and I will continue to speak out," she said.

"The lobby group has been able to shine a light on the lack of inclusion in the Tasmanian schools system.

"It has played an important part in ensuring that students with disability are provided a quality education and that there is real accountability in relation to the treatment of students with disability in our schools."

True to her word Ms Desmond has some parting advice for the government - "do not let hard fought reforms be left behind due to the current Covid19 pandemic".

"With schools turning to online learning the Government must ensure that students with disability are not left behind and forgotten,

"Hard fought adjustments need to continue and we must find a way to keep students with disability engaged in a quality education in the current ever changing environment."

Ms Desmond also wants the government to consider appointing an Independent Disability Commissioner for Tasmania so that the rights of people with disability in this State are "truly valued and enforced".