House debates

Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Private Members' Business

In Vitro Fertilisation

12:01 pm

Photo of Julian SimmondsJulian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges that 1 in 6 Australian families face difficulty when trying to start a family and for many this is not straightforward;

(2) notes that this is a very distressing time for couples who face both emotional and financial strain throughout this journey;

(3) further acknowledges the significant investment made by the Government in helping Australian couples start a family using In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) by:

(a) the establishment of the Your IVF Website which helps couples navigate the complicated process of IVF, have an informed understanding of their chance of success and enable them to make the right decisions for them; and

(b)investing $95.9 million for new tests on the Medicare Benefits Schedule for pre-IVF genetic testing for embryos for specific genetic or chromosomal abnormalities prior to implantation and pregnancy; and

(4) affirms the commitment of the House to help Australian couples achieve their goal of experiencing the joys of parenthood.

I think that each of us has a responsibility when we come to this place to bring our own unique experiences and backgrounds to the parliament to help shine a light on issues and to help progress change, and it's with this in mind that I present this motion today. Trying for a family is a joyous experience for many, many couples, but for other couples it doesn't just happen, as people like to say. In fact, it's a very tough process. It's very gruelling. It puts a strain on relationships and your mental health. It takes an emotional toll and also a financial toll on some couples. It's a journey worth making, of course, but, when a couple is finding it hard to conceive, it's often a lonely journey and there is stigma around discussing your fertility issues. It's something that many people don't tell their employers or their friends or even their family.

My wife and I went through this ourselves. We went through many rounds of IVF, and it was very, very tough. We are incredibly blessed that it worked out well for us. We have two beautiful children. My son, Theo, will turn four next week—so happy birthday, mate—and my beautiful daughter, Isabelle, turned one on Tuesday—so happy birthday, sweetie, to you as well. For us it turned out well and we are one of the success stories, but I often think about those couples for whom it doesn't always work out well. My wife and I have made our journey with IVF public, not because we enjoy talking about it—quite the opposite. We are very private people and we kept it a very private journey for a long, long time. But we've made the decision to talk about our journey with IVF and with miscarriage in the hope that we could progress discussions around change and try to achieve more support for families going through the same thing.

One in six couples will face difficulties starting a family, so it is a very common occurrence. What is needed, of course, is more information and support for couples that go through this. I am proud to be part of the Morrison government, which has recognised this and made it a priority over a number of budgets now, including in the most recent budget, the 2021-22 budget.

We've established the YourIVFSuccess website. This website provides clear, trusted information to help Australian couples decide if IVF treatment is right for them and to find the right clinic that suits them. It helps couples estimate their likelihood of success based on the most up-to-date data depending on their age and circumstances. It allows them to understand the journey they are embarking on before they start and to learn about the different types of IVF cycles and treatments that they will be faced with. It allows couples to search for an IVF clinic in their areas and to see the service availability, the type of patients they treat and their success rates versus the national average. The access to this information will, I believe, lead to a far more informed choice for couples to help them manage their expectations around time frames, financial impacts and, ultimately, success. This is so important. People think that IVF is very advanced, and it is very advanced science—it's miraculous what we can achieve these days—but it is still a little bit more art than it is science, and couples need to understand what they're embarking on. We have to do more in this space, but this tool is very welcome.

The Morrison government is also investing $95.9 million for new tests on the Medicare Benefits Schedule for pre-IVF genetic testing for embryos for specific genetic and chromosomal abnormalities prior to implantation and pregnancy. More Australian couples will get access to free pre-pregnancy screening as the government invests tens of millions of dollars in this new technology to help eradicate life-threatening genetic conditions. For couples who are going through this right now, my message to you is: you are not alone. You should talk about it. You should talk to your friends and family, share that journey, do it together and seek the information that is available to you.

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