Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Healthcare) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was very pleased on 26 April to attend the opening of the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer. This has been part of the long-term vision of the Flinders Medical Centre, and I want to pay tribute to a number of individuals who pushed for this project over a long period of time: Professor Graeme Young, Alan Young from the Flinders Medical Centre Foundation, Rhys Williams and Deborah Heithersay from the Flinders Medical Centre Foundation and her dedicated team of fundraisers. I was particularly pleased to have the Leader of the Opposition there as this was a project which he helped come to fruition when he was the Minister for Health. This was something that the Howard government was pleased to kick-start with a $10 million contribution in the 2007 budget.

The idea is to bring together the researchers and clinicians, but the centre will very much have a patient focus. It also has had a connection with Lance Armstrong, who visited during the early dedication ceremonies for the centre, and who has agreed for the LIVESTRONG name to be given to one of the research wings. It was a good day for the electorate.