Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to second the motion moved by my good friend the very handsome member for Dunkley. I welcome the opportunity to discuss an issue that is important to many families across our nation and to participate in this debate in expanding both our parliament's knowledge and the knowledge of those listening in at home on a disease that affects approximately one in 600 Australians. Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear, associated with a change in the volume of fluid inside a portion of the inner ear called the labyrinth. It causes episodes of vertigo and tinnitus, which is a constant buzzing or humming noise in one's ear; a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear; and fluctuating, progressive low-frequency hearing loss.

Meniere's disease was named after a French physician, Prosper Meniere, who first identified the cause of this disorder back in 1861. It is a disease that can develop at any age but it is more likely to happen in adults aged between 40 and 60 years of age. Also there is no definitive test for Meniere's; it is only diagnosed when all other causes have been ruled out.

A diagnosis of Meniere's is not promising. Although Meniere's will not directly kill you, it is likely to make your life miserable in a way that few other diseases can. A Meniere's episode generally involves severe vertigo, imbalance, nausea and vomiting with the average attack lasting for two to four hours. After a severe attack, most people find that they are extremely exhausted and then need to sleep for several hours.

The condition affects people differently: it can range in intensity from being a mild annoyance to a chronic, lifelong disability. It is important to appreciate how devastating the impact of the symptoms can be, and the natural deteriorating progression this can have on individuals suffering from the disease. Those who have experienced it describe it as frustrating, disabling, and disheartening—something they say, you could wish only upon your worst enemies.

Currently, there is no known medical cure for Meniere's; however, the condition can be managed to some degree through medication, diet, stress reduction, exercise programs, natural therapies and, as a last resort, surgery. It is a progressive disease which worsens, more slowly in some and more quickly in others. Some patients experience periods of remission for no apparent reason. Some remissions may continue for many years; even decades. Other remissions are sadly short-lived. Although the attacks of vertigo may decline with time, the hearing loss and tinnitus generally persist.

Many people suffering from Meniere's disease lead productive, near normal lives; while others face greater challenges in coping. I can think of only a few situations more stressful and draining on one's mental condition than the combination of a droning, ringing noise inside your ear and not knowing when you may lose control of your body, suffering an attack of vertigo, nausea and vomiting. It is no surprise that those suffering from this disease in many severe cases may end up losing their jobs and will spend their lives on disability. However, thankfully the statistics show that the majority, perhaps between 60 and 80 per cent of sufferers, will not need permanent disability and will recover with or without medical treatment.

Many theories exist about what happens to cause Meniere's disease but no definite answers are available. Some researchers think that Meniere's disease is the result of constrictions in blood vessels, similar to those that cause migraine headaches, and others think is brought on by allergies. This demonstrates the importance of medical research and that is why this motion is important to recognise the great work being done by the broader community to provide awareness, much needed counselling, practical advice and information to peer groups, individuals, families and their carers.

Ultimately, it is medical research that has the potential to ease the pain, suffering and hardship of those suffering from Meniere's disease.    That is why in this place we need to declare a war on waste and inefficiency. We need to declare war on those who seek to divert our scarce and precious resources into inefficient methods of production, for we have seen that this waste and inefficiency has an opportunity cost, and one of those opportunity costs is reduction in the spending on medical research to reduce the pain, suffering and hardship of those affected by diseases such as Meniere's. (Time expired)

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