Senate debates

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Statements by Senators

Ovarian Cancer, Queensland: Dams, Queensland Government

1:25 pm

Photo of James McGrathJames McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

For many, 'juvenile granulosa cell tumour', or JCT, would be a foreign term. On the other hand, ovarian cancer is something we've all come to know a lot more about in recent years, thanks to advances in research and general awareness. JCT happens to be a rare form of ovarian cancer that accounts for approximately eight to 10 per cent of all ovarian cancers, affecting females from those as young as infants through to post-menopausal women. This is why volunteers, led by Peter Reaburn, will be riding from Canberra to Melbourne over the course of nine straight days to raise funds for vital ovarian cancer research.

Peter's wife, Claire, was diagnosed with JCT at the age of 53. Claire is the oldest female in the world to have JCT. The youngest was diagnosed in Australia at the age of 11 months. Overall, 94 per cent of patients with JCT are under 30 years of age. Currently, there is no cure for JCT, nor is there significant research to help understand the disease further. At present, clinicians are prescribing treatment methods based on best guess rather than on facts. However, there are strong and amazing people, like Claire, her family and her supporters, who are working tirelessly to raise awareness of JCT. Research is desperately needed, and that is why the team is riding to raise much-needed funding.

I will give a special mention to Bec, Claire and Peter's daughter, who wants to emphasise the sheer courage and determination shown by her parents in this fight and their continued efforts to bring awareness to such an important issue. For those who are listening or watching, please head to rocinc.org.au to find out more about this great cause and to donate. Best of luck to Peter, Claire, Bec and the rest of the team in this great endeavour.

It would be remiss of me not to talk about dams in Queensland, today being the final sitting day of this parliament. Every sitting week, I have risen to talk about Paradise Dam. I welcome the $600 million contribution by the federal government to help fix Labor's mistake in Paradise Dam. Paradise Dam is Australia's worst infrastructure fail. I particularly welcome the funding for the Urannah Dam, a private project in conjunction with government in North Queensland. 'Urannah' is Queensland for 'water' and Urannah is a dam that is going to help grow Queensland. Andrew Wilcox, our new candidate for Dawson, will continue to fight for Urannah, taking on the fight led by George Christensen.

Sadly, in Queensland recently we've seen the unedifying spectacle of the Premier sending in goons to the Integrity Commissioner's office to seize a laptop and then have that laptop wiped. This is something out of Putin's Russia. People wonder, 'What is on this laptop?' so I thought I would do a countdown with the one minute that remains to me. This is what people are saying. There are seven reasons: No. 7, there are photos of the former Labor lord mayor accepting bundles of cash in a car park; No. 6 is a list of COVID breaches by members of Labor's cabinet in Queensland; No. 5 is a spreadsheet of all the secret and dodgy donations that the Labor Party has received in Queensland; No. 4 is details of hospital ramping, particularly on a Saturday morning after Labor aligned lobbyists have long lunches at the Port Office with Labor ministers and staffers; No. 3 is Steven Miles and his lack of conscience; No. 2 is Labor's secret plans to raise taxes; and, No. 1 is the real Anthony Albanese—the Scarlet Pimpernel of Australian politics! Will the real Anthony Albanese please stand up? Please stand up, Anthony Albanese.

Photo of Matt O'SullivanMatt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

It being 1.30, we will now move to two-minute statements.