Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is a government that cares about health care. We've passed legislation to make medicines more affordable, we're delivering new Medicare urgent care clinics across the country and yesterday we made an announcement that is personally very special to me.

Back in April, I attended a brain cancer fundraiser hosted by Hunters Hill Rotary and organised by president Barbara Enright and Kerry O'Brien. My partner, Jo, lost her father to brain cancer, and we wanted to contribute to the cause. The guest speaker that night was a remarkable professor, Richard Scolyer, former Australian of the Year. That night his message was simple: Australia needs to invest more in brain cancer research. Historically, this work has been underfunded because, tragically, patients aren't alive long enough to be advocates for themselves. Richard Scolyer has been that advocate.

Yesterday the Prime Minister announced $5.9 million to establish the Richard Scolyer Chair in Brain Cancer Research at the incredible Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. This funding will support a professorial chair, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants and scholarships. It will expand clinical trials, accelerate research and help translate discoveries into better patient outcomes.

Importantly, this will acknowledge the incredible work that Richard Scolyer has done, and all those before him who have fought for brain cancer research to be properly funded. (Time expired)

See this speech in context