Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I support your cause, Member for Newcastle. My eldest brother died of a brain tumour at the age of 51, so I understand the reason for the speech you made. Also talking about cancers, last Sunday, Mother's Day, I had the privilege to be involved in the annual Mother's Day Classic walk and run in Perth. As one of the event's ambassadors, I was given the task of starting the four-kilometre leg of the event. My parliamentary colleague the member for Curtin, Julie Bishop, pulled rank and started the eight-kilometre run.

The event this year had the highest number of participants, and Perth saw 3,680 people descend on Langley Park, with the majestic Swan River as the backdrop. There was an atmosphere of anticipation as local identities Paul Murray, Dixie Marshall and Perth city councillor Rob Butler warmed the crowd up with some banter and told them about the reason for the walk. People from all walks of life, young and old, came together for this purpose: to raise money for and awareness of breast cancer research. Everybody got into the spirit of the event, and it was quite a sight to see the rainbow of colours and characters all taking part. I met a survivor, Lisa Cabalzar, along with her supporter and friend Cathy Donald. They looked fantastic in their black sports clothes with bright pink bras on the outside of their clothes to highlight the significance of the event.

This event alone has raised more than $7.8 million for research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer since it began in 1998. The funding from this event, organised by Women in Super, a not-for-profit association of women working in the superannuation and financial services industries, has supported 20 researchers across Australia investigating all aspects of breast cancer. The funding has also supported research that has led to improved detection of and treatment for breast cancer, resulting in a 27 per cent decrease in deaths from the disease since 1994.

Breast cancer still remains the most common cancer among women in Australia. In Australia, one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Approximately 14,000 new cases will be diagnosed in women and 109 new diagnoses are expected in men. In fact, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing. However, due to the valuable funds raised by events like the Mother's Day Classic, survival rates are on the rise.

Congratulations to Women in Super, who created the Mother's Day Classic in 1998, and also congratulations to major sponsor ME Bank, who have been supporting the event since 2005. I would also like to recognise the ongoing commitment of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. For my part I was honoured to be asked to be involved and I was heartened to see so many people at the event walking or running as a tribute to the thousands of Australians who have been affected by breast cancer themselves or who know someone who has. My friend Kathy Crone, a survivor, with her husband Jim and son Steve completed the walk. I look forward to continued involvement and thank the thousands of participants in Perth who showed up and are making a difference to the lives of people with breast cancer.