Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to dedicate this time tonight to the work of Cancer Council Queensland and in particular their facility in Herston known as the Charles Wanstall Apex Lodge. Brisbane was very fortunate to have the Minister for Health and Sport, Greg Hunt, visit us last Friday. We managed to fit a lot into a morning—we met with many of Brisbane's and Queensland's sporting clubs and codes, we held a morning tea with many of the community groups who provide amazing support services around Brisbane, and we also visited the Charles Wanstall Apex Lodge in Herston to turn the first sod for some work commencing there with the strong support of this government. I have previously spoken in this place about the significant financial contributions that this government has made to some brand new support facilities around Brisbane, like Hummingbird House, opened last year, supporting families going through the toughest journey of all as they spend some moments together as a family with a child going through the final stages of a terminal illness; or like the new Ronald McDonald House in Brisbane, bigger and better than the last one, providing accommodation for the remote and regional families of kids undergoing surgery at the children's hospital. It was at almost 100 per cent capacity even before its official opening!

The Charles Wanstall Apex Lodge probably sits at the other end of this spectrum. It is not a new facility. It is a very weathered and much-loved complex near the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. These facilities, operated by Cancer Council Queensland, have done what I would call a real tour of duty, providing accommodation and vital support for regional and remote Queenslanders travelling to Brisbane specifically for cancer treatment. Having supported so many people, so many families and carers for so many years, these facilities are very deserving of an upgrade they need to keep them going for hopefully many more years to come. So, I was very proud to announce in the election campaign last year that this government would provide $785,000 towards the modernisation of 11 self-contained residential units, a community room, an administration office and a communal barbeque area. Now the work is commencing, and this government is delivering on its commitment.

We can all imagine the strain, the trauma, the sacrifices and ultimately the bills that are inextricably linked with a cancer diagnosis. At the sod turning we met a few people facing those very experiences. We met Barbara from Nanango, staying at the lodge with her 17-year-old son who is going through treatment for testicular and stomach cancer, and we heard what it meant for them to receive the Cancer Council's support to get through such a difficult time. We also met Sandra and Robin from Barcaldine, who have been in and out of the lodge too many times over the past year after Robin was diagnosed with cancer in his lymph nodes. They were back in the lodge last week while undergoing tests and they had just received the very happy news that Robin finally had the all-clear. Their journey is hopefully done, and they were extremely thankful for the Cancer Council's support. One thousand four hundred patients and carers each year stay in the Charles Wanstall Apex Lodge—1,400 stories of cancer, struggle and support. It is an invaluable service that the Cancer Council offers and I am proud that this government has been able to support them to keep going. I thank the Health Minister for his support, I thank everyone from Cancer Council Queensland, from the CEO Chris McMillan down through the whole team, including all their volunteers, and even—and maybe especially—the bus driver, Bill, who is much loved.

I also want to thank the leaders and the managers of all of the community service organisations who took the time out on Friday to meet with the minister and me. We had some serious and constructive conversations about so many of the priorities in Brisbane, and I look forward to working with them all very closely in the future. They really do provide great support for the Brisbane community every day. I want say thank you to the QLD Accounting Group and their managing director Dominic Guinea for the fundraiser they held last month for the Cancer Council. I was very happy to support them at that event. Also I pass on very big congratulations to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

House adjourned at 20:00