Susan Lamb (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion moved by the member for McMillan. Without doubt, cancer is an insidious disease that affects many, many Australians. In fact, as the member for McMillan notes, it is one of the leading causes of death in Australia. Across the country, approximately 33 per cent of deaths each year are attributable to some form of cancer. Based on these statistics, all of us are likely to experience the trauma of losing a loved one to cancer, a disease for which there is currently no cure. We must focus on better understanding the disease through research.

While many different types of cancers impact Australians, I recognise that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am particularly concerned about this type of cancer because, in my electorate of Longman, we have an ageing demographic. Indeed, research indicates the risk of breast cancer increases for women aged 55. For regions such as Bribie Island, where the median age of females is 58 years, everything must be done to increase research, invest in preventative measures and provide treatment. All women, regardless of their location, must have access to support services. Breast cancer is the most common and second deadliest cancer in Australian women. Despite advances in research and treatments, the number of diagnoses of breast cancer is shocking. Research indicates it is at a rate of 44 per day, 300 per week and more than 15,600 per year. Those figures are more than alarming; they are an imperative to fund ongoing research into the disease, its causes and its prevention.

I am pleased the government understands the importance of cancer research and has funded the National Health and Medical Research Council and Cancer Australia and has established the Medical Research Future Fund. I also welcome the government providing $18½ million to the McGrath Foundation to deliver additional services to assist and care for people diagnosed with breast cancer. While I will always support additional funding for support and research, I am extremely disappointed about how the Medical Research Future Fund is funded. Let me briefly say that research into health should never be funded through cuts to another health service. Labor understands that the delivery of health services must be independent of cancer research funding. This is why I am proud that, at the last election, Labor made a number of election commitments to support breast cancer research. This package included a $7 million investment to enable the Breast Cancer Network Australia to deliver improved support and information for women with both primary and secondary breast cancer.

While I speak today about these shocking statistics, it is equally important to recognise the emotional, physical and financial costs that accompany the diagnoses. A diagnosis may involve months or years of ongoing medical care. It can take a psychological toll and women must be able to access support services. This is an issue for all women but particularly those who do not live in close proximity to hospitals that offer support. Women in my electorate in areas such as Woodford and Toorbul may need to travel an entire day just to access treatment. Labor understands these women in particular need easy access to psychosocial support not involving extensive travel. This is also why I am also proud that, as part of our election commitments, Labor committed $4.4 million to improve psychosocial support and information for women with secondary breast cancer. This would have allowed the BCNA to deliver a telephone counselling service for women and their families staffed by oncology social workers, expanded access to specialist secondary breast cancer nurses and better access to information.

It is essential that we continue funding for cancer research, including breast cancer research, and I support initiatives that help us better understand this disease.

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