Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Shortland for moving this motion and bringing this important issue before the House. I remember that last year during National Stroke Awareness Week blood pressure checks were offered. I was just saying to my colleague the member for Forrest that I remember having one here. I thought at the time that I was doing alright but when I now look at my blood pressure it is apparently in the range of normal to high, so I think I have a bit of a vested interest in this subject.

Although my father passed away some years ago, back in the 1970s he had several minor strokes. You do not have to go very far before you realise that this is an insidious condition that impacts many people. We realise that strokes, whether it is through killing or permanently disabling people, are a very serious issue. I suspect that a lot of people do not realise how serious the risk is.

When you look at the lifestyle factors involved, high blood pressure is right up there, along with smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, drinking heavily, a high-fat, low-fibre diet and a lack of exercise. I think that for many of us here, and for many people in the community, these are things that we should certainly be aware of. The National Stroke Foundation has been doing a very good job in highlighting what the risks are but it is beholden on all of us to have a close look at ourselves, particularly once we get to mid-life—certainly beyond the 40s. I am sure I am the only one here in that category, since everyone else is much younger than me. I think you have to look in the mirror and do a bit of self-assessment because some of these are real issues. I will not go into my personal issues here, but I think there are a couple of issues that I should be aware of—diet and high blood pressure might be two of those but luckily none of the others.

We know that diabetes is a major issue in this country. This is particularly true for type 2 diabetes, which is more associated with lifestyle and affects a lot of people. When we wander around our electorates—or even look in the mirror—we might see people in this country who are particularly at risk. It comes back to education and taking a bit of personal responsibility. Looking at my own diet, I have decided in the last few days—not as a result of this motion—to take white bread and butter out of my diet. Unfortunately, there are a not too many vices left, but I am looking out for those sorts of risks. Now that we are back in parliament a lot more physical activity is required.

When you look at the symptoms, this is exactly where education needs to be focused, and a lot of Australians need to look closely at what is happening to them. The member for Shortland mentioned the FAST test. I will briefly run through that. These are the symptoms of a pending stroke: a numb or weak feeling in the face, arm or leg; trouble speaking or understanding; unexplained dizziness; blurred or poor vision in one or both eyes; loss of balance or an unexplained fall; difficulty swallowing; headaches or an unexplained change in the pattern of headaches; and confusion and unconsciousness. If a person has any of those problems it is right to call 000 immediately and get an ambulance for a trip to the hospital.

If Australians better understood that these symptoms are not to be ignored we would end up with a lot fewer people dying or being disabled as a result of strokes. When you look at the lifestyle factors that I mentioned before, you also look for the ages—certainly beyond the age of 40—and the family history of individuals. These are all risk factors that we need to be particularly aware of. Hopefully, education will mean that people do not need to learn too many lessons about this, but it does require people with these sorts of risk factors to be very self-critical. It is time to make some moves. It is time to ask: ‘Do I exercise enough? What do I eat?’ Other things to consider include making sure that you have a healthy weight for your height, get regular blood pressure testing by a doctor, choose a low-fat, high-fibre diet, and reduce or eliminate salt from your diet—that is a big ask, particularly in my case. These are all things that people need to examine.

If you are carrying a bit of weight, if you are not exercising, if you are drinking and smoking or if you have diabetes, you are really up there in the high-risk category. If you are aware of these things then it is beholden on you to take personal responsibility and start looking at how you can change your life. A determined effort to stop smoking, as well as exercising regularly and watching your diet and, if it comes down to it, taking the medication necessary, under medical advice, to help control high blood pressure will reduce the risk of stroke.

This is most certainly a serious matter in this country. Despite the work of the National Stroke Foundation there are still too many Australians who accept the risks or do not know what the risks are and therefore they will face problems. Through government support for research and education and through the good work of the National Stroke Foundation and other support groups within the community, this is a way that more people can become aware of the problems they face. As we know, there is now a very high percentage of people in this country who are above optimum weight. I am not saying they are obese or morbidly obese but they certainly could do something to reduce their weight and thereby reduce their risks.

Fortunately most people in this place have turned away from smoking, though there are still some who smoke. Perhaps there are more who have turned away from heavy drinking. This is a very healthy place, of course. You are paragons of virtue, one and all, in this place. It is important that everyone understands what the risks are and understands that it is a matter of confronting one’s own problems, of not waiting for the need to call 000 but deciding, ‘I’m not living as good and healthy a life as I could. It’s time for me to recognise that I am no longer the spring chicken I once was.’ In my case, I adjusted my lifestyle to make sure that those risks were eliminated. We must all give ourselves the best chance of living a healthy lifestyle to keep ourselves alive for the sake of our families and to reduce the strain on the health system, which is always an important responsibility.

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