Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

In September 2013 the G20 leaders in St Petersburg committed themselves to comprehensive growth strategies for the Brisbane summit in 2014. They said that would be encapsulated in what is known as the 'Brisbane action plan'. I am looking forward to people coming to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, later this year, and also to the finance ministers coming to Cairns, a place I am very familiar with.

I would urge those delegates to come to come to the place just down the road along the Ipswich Motorway—the beautiful and historic city of Ipswich, which could and should have been the capital of Queensland. I am pleased that the government is committed to Brisbane. Brisbane is a wonderful place, a wonderful city, but not as historic or old—and certainly not as beautiful—as the wonderful city of Ipswich, from which I hail.

Individual countries will be represented with their own agendas, but the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, believes that Australia must not squander its leadership of the G20 presidency by taking a cluttered approach to the agenda. I do not agree with him. I agree with the member for Lilley, who talked about a broadmindedness in terms of the agenda. It is one aspect of that agenda that I want to talk about—something that I want to see on the agenda for the G20 meeting in Brisbane this year. That something is to take up what UK Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron did last year, in November and December, when he put the issue of dementia on the G8 agenda for discussion by the leading economies of the world.

Alzheimer's Australia is leading a push—a petition—for Prime Minister Tony Abbott to place dementia prominently on the G20 agenda. I agree with them. Dementia has a global economic impact. If dementia were a country it would have the 18th biggest economy in the world. Its cost to the world economy is $600 billion—about one per cent of global GDP. What we need from global leaders at the G20 is a commitment to invest in dementia research, promote reduction strategies and identify treatments and a commitment that they will undertake important future healthcare and that they will look at the social impact and cost across this region.

Our country is about to be hit by a dementia tsunami. There are about 300,000 Australians with dementia, but we will have about one million by 2050. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It is a disease which affects more and more Australians. It has been estimated that three people out of every four of the 36 million people worldwide who are suffering from dementia have not been formally diagnosed as suffering from dementia and therefore are not getting the care and treatment they deserve and need. This treatment gap is most significant in developing countries, particularly in those economies which are often described as low- and middle-income countries. We have many of those in our region, so this is a particularly important issue. I would like to see countries such as China, India and Brazil, in particular, make commitments at G20, because these are important countries for this century's economic development. They will have a greater impact than in the 20th century. It is important that we get countries like those I mentioned involved in dementia awareness, care and research commitment around the world. More funds are needed for the diagnosis, treatment and care of dementia patients.

Alzheimer's Australia has a goal to get 20,000 signatures for its petition. I urge those listening to get behind Alzheimer's Australia. When we were in government we made a large commitment for dementia research and funding. It is estimated that by 2016 dementia will be the leading cause of disability in this country. It is impossible to hide dementia behind closed doors. It is impossible to stem the raging tide of dementia centre by closing the curtains and pretending all is well. I urge the leaders of the G20 to do what David Cameron has done. I urge them to have a look at the G8 Dementia Summit Declaration that was made in London on 11 December 2013, which showed a way forward for an effective international response to dementia. I urge them to take dementia seriously when they are in Brisbane.

Debate interrupted.

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