Lisa Darmanin (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Every moment matters, or, as it was so eloquently stated by Emma Vulin, state Labor member for Pakenham in south-east Melbourne, time matters, compassion matters, dignity matters, and people deserve to have their voices heard, particularly when they are vulnerable. Last Sunday was Global MND Awareness Day. Motor neurone disease is a progressive and ultimately fatal neurological disease that damages nerve cells controlling movement. As the disease progresses, people gradually lose the ability to walk, talk, swallow and breathe.

I want to pay tribute to standout Victorians who have done so much to advocate and raise funds for the benefit of others. Neale Daniher, who passed so very recently from the disease, was 2025 Australian of the Year. As the Prime Minister said, the difference he made can be measured in the national awareness, the tens of millions of dollars that he and FightMND have raised to research a cure, and the ubiquitous FightMND beanies you see all around Victoria.

Then there's the fierce, determined and courageous Emma Vulin, my friend, who was diagnosed with the disease. Last week, in her valedictory speech, she addressed the Victorian parliament with extraordinary pride, grace and passion for her community. Her growing and diverse community has benefited immeasurably from her strong and unrelenting advocacy on their behalf, and her passionate and wise campaigning to improve voluntary assisted dying laws in Victoria is a legacy that many will be forever grateful for.

Thank you to Emma, Neil, FightMND, MND Australia, all the other advocacy bodies and the thousands of campaigners who are working every single day towards investment into research and to ensure Australians living with MND receive the dignity, care and support that they deserve.