Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the simple fact is early detection saves lives. More than 21,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Australia—that's 58 people every day. And one in seven women will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Those numbers are more than statistics. They're mothers. They're sisters. They're daughters. They're friends. That's why breast cancer screening is an absolute must on every woman's to-do list. That's why we must talk openly and regularly about the importance of screening. Book your appointment, have the conversation and encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. These are simple tests, but they could, quite frankly, save your life. We know that early detection and treatment will provide the best chance of successfully combating this insidious cancer.

It has been my honour in this role to meet many, many courageous women who have been fighting breast cancer. I've also met many incredible people, whether they be advocates, nurses, carers or others in the medical profession, who advocate on behalf of people with breast cancer. They constantly advocate to make sure that we have better rates of early detection and better treatment regimes. And, to that end, I want to reaffirm my commitment to protecting Australians, particularly those at risk of genetic breast cancer, from discrimination in life insurance. The government failed to address this in the last parliament, despite promising to do so, but the coalition will keep fighting to ensure no Australian woman is discouraged from seeking genetic testing that could save her life. I call on the government not to break this promise again in this term in parliament. Please, deliver your promise to Australian women.