Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1)

notes that it is estimated that anaphylaxis effects up to 380 000 Australians who experience a food allergy, 5-8 per cent of whom are children;

(2)

recognises that tragically, three Australian students died between March 2002 and April 2003 during school hours as a result of an anaphylactic reaction;

(3)

acknowledges that a simple medical treatment is all that is needed to treat an anaphylactic reaction, prevent loss of life and provide the necessary time to transport the victim to hospital for further medical treatment; and

(4)

asks that the Government introduces legislation, devised in a COAG capacity, to ensure all preschools, primary and secondary schools:

(a)

have necessary policies and procedures to provide effective response to a student who experiences an anaphylactic reaction;

(b)

include policies that reduce the exposure to causative agents in the classroom environment;

(c)

ensure staff members are appropriately trained to support life in the event of an anaphylactic reaction; and

(d)

develop an individual action plan for each student that has an anaphylactic allergy that comprises treatment plans from the student’s physician.

I have spoken previously in the House about the tragic death of Alex Baptist—he was only four; he went to kindy and never came home—due to anaphylactic shock, and the continuing grief suffered by his parents. I have had the privilege of speaking to them: Nigel and Martha. Sadly, three other children have also died from anaphylactic shock since 2002. As in Alex’s case, these tragic cases also occurred during school hours.

Deaths from anaphylactic shock can be averted if the correct measures and safeguards are put in place. Amongst other things, these preventative actions would involve the training of all teachers in reducing exposure to anaphylaxis-inducing agents at school and in the correct manner to administer an EpiPen, the only effective treatment, which buys valuable time until the child suffering the attack can be seen by a medical professional. The Canadian government has introduced such a law—it is known as Sabrina’s law. The Victorian government has recently announced that if re-elected it would also introduce similar legislation. I applaud that move. I cannot see why we in the federal sphere cannot do likewise and ensure that, via COAG, legislation consistent across all states is introduced to train all teachers and childcare workers in the analysis of anaphylaxis and the correct use of an EpiPen. The lives of our children literally depend upon it.

A recent Australian study has estimated that a quarter of the population will have a reaction to food, especially during infancy and early childhood. The number of children suffering from food allergies has doubled in a generation. Currently 10 per cent of children and two per cent of adults have some form of food allergy. Many of these food allergies are potentially life threatening. This is particularly the case with peanuts as even small traces may trigger symptoms and cause death. Recent international studies show peanut allergy has doubled over a five-year period, with approximately one per cent of children being allergic to peanuts. No comprehensive statistics are kept of deaths due to allergic reactions. However, one study has found that over 90 per cent of fatal or near-fatal anaphylactic shocks from food are caused by peanuts and tree nuts.

It is estimated that three to five per cent of preschool children are allergic to one or more of the common food allergens, with 0.6 per cent of Australian preschoolers and schoolchildren having suffered at least one episode of anaphylaxis. The adrenaline auto-injector treatment known as an EpiPen is currently used by one in every 544 Australian children under the age of 10. This is an extraordinary amount. Despite the lack of statistics, it is believed that up to 10 Australians die each year from anaphylaxis. Thousands more require urgent medical attention. Research conducted overseas suggests that roasting peanuts enhances allergic reaction. Preliminary investigations have been made in finding an effective vaccine. Despite the increased prevalence and the increased burden this serious condition presents for parents, teachers and our health system, there have been few studies into food allergies in Australia.

A Beazley Labor government will deliver $5 million for research into understanding the causes of serious food allergies, with a specific focus on peanut allergies, in the hope that we can find a cure. The research, with funding to be administered by the National Health and Medical Research Council, will aim to build a better understanding of the unexplained, dramatic increase in the incidence of food allergies in Australian children and to search for the answers we need to protect them. A Beazley Labor government will also work with the states and territories to ensure that uniform national guidelines for preschools and schools are implemented. These are laws that the Labor government in Victoria have announced they will introduce if re-elected.

The Labor government in Victoria will ensure that up to 70,000 teachers and childcare workers will be trained under the proposal, which will cost at least $2.1 million over five years. We know that lives are being lost because of the lack of early identification. The training program is equipping childcare workers and teachers with the resources required to take action immediately with an adrenalin injection, which can save lives. The training will include ways to minimise risk, recognise the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, and perform emergency treatment with an EpiPen, which gives an instant adrenaline interaction. Schools would also be required by law to have an anaphylactic policy. The AMA says that Victoria is now leading the world in introducing mandatory allergy training. This should be done so that no more small lives are lost.

As the mother of a four-year-old with anaphylaxis, this turns your mind to the dangers of such a thing. When you send your small child off to child care you do not expect that they will come into contact with an allergen and never come home. Nigel and Martha Baptist ask us to remember their dear boy. He may be gone, but hopefully he is not forgotten. Indeed, the introduction of these laws by the Bracks government will mean that he is not forgotten. I move the motion today in memory of Alex and hope that we never again see a small child die through an allergy which could have been prevented if someone had been appropriately trained at that school.

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