Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I have two brief questions. One is to the Minister for Health and Ageing and one is to the Minister for Ageing. I will address the minister for health first. Minister, you may or may not be aware that in November this year there will be visiting scientists and oncologists from Europe, the United States of America and Asia holding a conference in relation to the use of high-dose radiation and radio wave therapy. You are aware of a lady called Jenny Barlow who has been very active in this area and have met previously with one of her staff. Since that meeting, Mrs Barlow has spent much time overseas talking in various countries where research is being done and has been done, some of it government backed, such as the United States and countries in Europe and Asia. My question is: given that these scientists will be in the country at that particular period of time, would you meet with these people to discuss the latest innovations in these particular technologies for the treatment of cancer?

My other question is to the Minister for Ageing. It is very brief and probably only needs a brief answer. Could you elaborate on the government’s current policy in relation to young people with disabilities who are currently housed in nursing homes? I think there are something like 5,000 or 6,000 young people who are inappropriately housed in the sense that they are in aged-care facilities but are not aged, just disabled. Does the government have any plans to expedite some of those arrangements, particularly in relation to the coordinated work between the Commonwealth and the states?

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