Senate debates

Wednesday, 7 February 2024

Statements by Senators

Skin Cancer

1:28 pm

Photo of Ross CadellRoss Cadell (NSW, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

During the break, I went and had some skin cancers removed—a normal process that you go through. There are many big issues we deal with, and some we don't know. I went and saw a dermatologist. As part of the breakdown on, shall we say, less than great plastic surgery or things—federal parliament cracked down on the use of surgeons, and it went right across the field of dermatologists. They're quite happy with that, apart from one small group. There is a group called Mohs surgery, which is the best treatment for basal cell carcinoma removal, and they are surgeons; there are about 90 in Australia. These people specialise in doing very precise, clean and restorative removal of skin cancers from people's faces. They have limited access to what they can call themselves. I think that, potentially, there is the opportunity to look at restoring the name of surgeons that was taken away from so many plastic surgeons for those specifics in the Mohs surgery area.

Photo of Karen GroganKaren Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

It being 1.30 pm, we shall now proceed to two-minute statements.