Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion brought to the House by the member for Newcastle, and I commend her for raising this very important issue. As we have heard, it is Dementia Awareness Week. It is important that as parliamentarians we show our support and advocacy for those in the community affected by dementia—not just those diagnosed with dementia but the families and friends who are also impacted by this terrible disease.

I take my role as Alzheimer's Australia champion very seriously and I will continue to advocate and fight for appropriate funding to tackle this terrible disease which affects not just the elderly in our community, which is the perception. There are currently around 280,000 Australians—and 1,600 new cases diagnosed each week—living with dementia who are cared for by 1.2 million dedicated carers. The number of sufferers is expected to dramatically increase to 465,000 by 2031 and to 980,000 Australians by 2050. That equates to around 7,400 new cases each week.

A report commissioned by Access Economics in 2009 found that there are approximately 740 dementia sufferers in the Northern Territory, with 460 of those living in Darwin. By 2015 the number of sufferers across the Northern Territory is projected to rise to 6,400, an increase of 8.6 per cent, with 4,700 of those living in Darwin, an increase of 10.2 per cent. It is concerning for me as the federal member that the Northern Territory is predicted to have the highest growth numbers for dementia sufferers of all the states and territories.

It will come as no surprise that the coalition has always been committed to supporting those affected by dementia. In the 2005 budget the Howard government committed $320 million to fund a dementia initiative, making dementia a national health priority. In 2009 a Labor government evaluation found the initiative successful but they deliberately at this point closed the funding program down. After another Labor backflip the funding has recently been reinstated—and I think we all agree it should never have been removed in the first place.

Dementia Awareness Week is an important annual national initiative which, as I said earlier, is occurring this week along with World Dementia Day which is being observed globally on Friday, 21 September. The theme for Dementia Awareness Week is 'Brain health: making the connections', with a focus on raising awareness of this disease and the need for everyone to keep their brain active. This week is aimed at informing people who believe that they may have memory problems to seek information and help.

The stigma around dementia today is as widespread as it ever was, with more than half of Australians mistakenly attributing the symptoms of dementia as a normal part of ageing. Education is the only way to dispel this myth. As an Alzheimer's Australia dementia champion I am calling on all Territorians to support Dementia Awareness Week by getting involved and by encouraging those who they are worried about with memory loss to seek help, because early diagnosis is absolutely crucial. In support of Dementia Awareness Week, there are various activities occurring in my electorate. These include the annual tea dance at the Greek Orthodox school hall in Nightcliff on Tuesday, 25 September. From all accounts, this event is a highlight for Darwin seniors. It features a range of activities, including performances by the Groovy Grans, the Essington Songsters and musician Jim Harte and a display by belly dancers.

For health professionals, there will be presentations in Darwin on Monday, 24 September, by the renowned Dr Serge Gauthier, who is also going to be here talking to us parliamentarians later this week. Back in my electorate on Friday, 21 September, I will be supporting the gathering of champions on World Alzheimer's Day at Raintree Park in Darwin. I will be supporting the fabulous team of dedicated people at Alzheimer's Australia NT in supporting those people with Alzheimer's and dementia in the Northern Territory.

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