Gabriel Ng (Menzies, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about the Box Hill Prostate Cancer Support Group, which does amazing work in my electorate of Menzies providing support to survivors and those living with prostate cancer, as well as raising awareness of prostate cancer. I wear this pin today to show my support for them and to show my solidarity with them.

I first had the privilege of meeting this great group of blokes when I attended their information evening at Box Hill Town Hall in September, which of course was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. There I heard from survivors and those undertaking treatment, from their families who support them on their journeys and from health practitioners. They shared stories, they shared experiences and they shared practical tips, and they did it all with good humour and a few laughs. It was clear how important this group was for members and their families, because sometimes it's only people who have been through the same experience who can really understand and who you can feel comfortable leaning on.

I will be honest, like a lot of blokes I hadn't given prostate cancer much thought. Thanks to these men, and the health professionals who work alongside them, I now understand that one in five Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. It is the most common cancer among men after non-melanoma skin cancer. Men over 40 with a family history are at greater risk, but early detection can make all the difference. Because it might put a few blokes off being tested, it's important to let people know that the digital rectal exam is no longer needed. A simple blood test from your local GP can detect prostate cancer early.

Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's just a little prick!

Gabriel Ng (Menzies, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's right! Thank you to the member for Bruce! When caught early, 96 per cent of men survive for at least five years after diagnosis.

These last facts were particularly striking for me. Thanks to these men, and because I have a family history of prostate cancer, I prioritised getting a PSA test when I got my over 40s health check. I've caught up with the Box Hill Prostate Cancer Support Group a couple of times since, including at the recent Whitehorse Spring Festival. They were getting out into the community, putting themselves out there to raise awareness. And even though they met resistance from some of the men they approached, they wanted to make sure other men got tested early and were aware of the risks.

As men, we often put our health last. If something isn't falling off or sticking out at a weird angle, we don't worry about it. But we need to talk about our health more and we need to be more proactive in managing it—not just for ourselves but also for our families, for our kids—and because catching problems early lessens their impacts and even prevent deaths. Perhaps for this reason, the awareness of prostate cancer and the importance of catching it early is not where it needs to be. That is why I am proud to be part of the Albanese Labor government, which is standing up for men's health. We're investing more than $32 million in men's health initiatives, including $11.3 million to Movember to provide men's healthcare training to primary healthcare workers. This will mean more than 60,000 doctors and nurses will be able to support men to get the health care they need. Of course, this is on top of our other health initiatives, like our record investment in Medicare, which will mean more Australians can see a GP for free, as well as our increased training and support for new GPs and nurses.

Thank you to the Box Hill Prostate Cancer Support Group for supporting each other, for your advocacy to help me understand how the government can better support you and your families, and for raising awareness throughout our community to save lives and reduce the impacts of prostate cancer.

House adjourned at 19 : 59