Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

One of the more memorable experiences I had as a young child in primary school was when another child suffered an epileptic fit. As I had not heard of epilepsy, I was quite shocked by this particular fit and how this girl reacted. Therefore, I am ashamed to say, I and other students moved some distance from this person because we simply did not understand what epilepsy was. We did not understand then that so many Australians suffered from epilepsy. Today 200,000 Australians suffer from epilepsy on a regular basis.

It is very clear that this is a disease that really needs more research. Obviously, it is a disease about which most people in the community have insufficient knowledge. While I and others in primary school saw what occurred to this particular child, I suspect that in 2008, were a similar event to occur in a school anywhere in Australia, students would react in much the same way as we did at that time. That means that, during the ensuing years, we as a country simply have not done enough to improve our community store of knowledge of this insidious disease. We simply have not spent the money we need to spend to ensure that research is undertaken to try to do whatever we can to both find a cure for this disease and make sure that those living with this disease are able to do so in the best possible manner.

Thirty per cent of epilepsy cases have an identifiable cause ranging from head trauma, viral infection and substance abuse to brain tumours or stroke. But 70 per cent of epilepsy cases have no known cause. I imagine that when an epileptic situation occurs in a family, particularly a family which has not had any prior history of epilepsy, there must be a great lack of understanding and, I suppose, a failure of a willingness to accept the particular diagnosis. While the types of seizures experienced by sufferers vary quite dramatically, from simple moments of inattention lasting only seconds to complete loss of muscular control for several minutes, it is not difficult to understand that, regardless of the degree of severity of an epileptic seizure, one ought to sympathise with those who suffer from this disease given the obvious concern they must harbour as they go through their daily lives.

As we all know, significant injuries can arise as a result of a seizure. They range from head injuries as a result of falls, through to those injuries from other accidents that occur as a result of a sudden epileptic seizure. For those diagnosed with epilepsy and their families, such a concern is never far away. The unease such people carry as a result of not knowing when or where an episode could occur is clearly a matter that must be a constant worry. It is also a real concern for sufferers that their seizure might impact on others, and it is true to say that those who have been unable to satisfactorily manage their condition have been forced to give up pursuits such as swimming or driving a car, which of course puts further demands on their loved ones.

I suspect that those people who suffer from epilepsy, were a seizure to occur in the workplace, would be concerned about the impact on their job prospects. Even though the person concerned could well have the same capacity as anyone else to carry out a particular role, if there were a collapse at work, particularly a dramatic collapse, that would work to their disadvantage. It would seem that in such cases many sufferers would sustain a loss of job opportunity and prospects. They would certainly suffer a loss of promotion and in some cases a loss of job. It is, I understand, possible for anyone under certain circumstances to succumb to an epileptic seizure and it is only when someone suffers a series of those seizures that epilepsy is ultimately diagnosed.

I could talk at length about epilepsy and go into many more details but regrettably time is short. I believe, while we have made enormous medical advances in so many areas and while, as a country, we have much to be proud of with our health system, that does not mean we ought to be complacent. There is a group of people who suffer from epilepsy in their families and who do warrant, in my view, additional research to make sure that we are able to get more positive outcomes to let those living with epilepsy have a very much higher quality of life.

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