Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

FREELANDER () (): Congratulations on your appointment, Madam Deputy Speaker Claydon. I'd like to alert the House that today, 28 July, is World Hepatitis Day. The theme of the day today is: hepatitis can't wait. This is a very important message that I'd like people to hear.

Hepatitis C and hepatitis B are two of the leading causes of liver failure, liver cancer, liver transplant and death, but there are effective treatments available. There's immunisation for hepatitis B. There are treatments for hepatitis C that can be taken orally, are curative, have very high success rates and are readily available through the Australian government, free of cost. It's very important that we alert people to the availability of these treatments so that they do access them.

During the pandemic it has been very difficult for many people to access primary health care. Yet, if given, immunisation can prevent the spread of hepatitis B to other family members, and antivirals can prevent progressive liver damage from hepatitis B. The treatments for hepatitis C are curative and can be taken orally through a general practitioner. People need to visit their GPs. They need to be tested and they need to get access to these treatments. It's very important. If we can do that, we will eliminate hepatitis B and hepatitis C. We aim to do that by 2030 if we can, but people need to be aware.