Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Motor Neurone Disease, I rise to recognise Global MND Awareness Day, which just passed. It was a powerful symbol of hope for sufferers and their carers, who are showing the resilience of the blue cornflower every single day by caring for those with motor neurone disease.

Today there are around 2,752 Australians living with MND, and with modern techniques diagnosis is getting higher and higher, and there is more recognition of this terrible disease. We're also seeing increased investment in research, care, advocacy and support services as we work towards better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

This year we marked the very sad passing of Neale Daniher, a great Australian, and also the diagnosis of the rugby league player spoken about by so many here in this House, Jai Arrow. This has helped draw attention to the national conversation about the realities of living with MND, the realities of the sufferers and their carers and the great urgent need for support.

I want to thank the member for Mayo for asking a great question and putting pressure on the government, leading to the announcement of a priority pathway for aged care for MND sufferers, something that should have always been there. While finding a cure remains critically important, people living with MND and their carers need compassion and practical support right now through the aged-care system and the NDIS—and everything else that we can do. These are the most vulnerable people in our society. I ask the government to continue its good work on supporting people with MND, their carers, friends and families and making those priority pathways available to people.