Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, similarly, on indulgence: I would like to extend the government’s sympathies to the McGrath family and associate us with those comments. The member for Cook obviously has a close personal friendship, and I think that when you have local heroes in your community it is good, as a local member, to be able to acknowledge them. We all know in this House that Jane McGrath was also a national hero, and I think that it is really a very sad time for the parliament.

I am pleased that the member for Cook was able to mention the breast cancer nurses, an initiative which I think is due to come online on 1 July and which received very strong bipartisan support. I am sure it will not be much solace to the family in the current circumstances, but it is something that will be of lasting benefit to the many families that will still have to fight breast cancer in the future. I am sure, and I hope, that that is something that will provide in the coming years some comfort to the family. So I would like to associate the government with the comments made by the member for Cook. I am sure there will be other appropriate occasions to recognise this. Our love and best wishes also go to the McGrath family in this difficult time.

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