Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Blaxland for this very important motion. Concerns about prostate cancer strike a chord with many of us and many families across Australia. I note the statistic that nine men die from prostate cancer per day, and in regional areas like mine the statistics are particularly dire. In 2011 there were nearly 20,000 new cases of prostate cancer in Australia, accounting for 30 per cent of all new cases of cancer in males, making it the most common cancer diagnosis in Australia—excluding non-melanoma skin cancer—and the most common cancer diagnosed in Australian men. It is estimated that, by 2020, this figure will have grown to over 25,000 new cases.

With substantial funding support from the federal government, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, PCFA, is doing very important work to promote and fund research, implement awareness campaigns, education campaigns and programs, and provide support to men and their families through information and resources, support groups and prostate cancer specialist nurses.

Breaking the stigma about men's health check-ups is an issue I am very aware of. My predecessor, the late Albie Shultz, fought for prostate cancer support to the very end. In fact, as I have already indicated in this place, a prostate cancer nurse for the Riverina was the last thing I spoke to him about before he died. Over the last 12 months, my colleague Michael McCormack, the member for Riverina, and I have heard a great deal of community concern about the urgent need to address this gap in healthcare support for men and families in Riverina. We took the issue repeatedly to the minister, Sussan Ley, and it was a tremendous feeling last month to find that a workable solution had been found for the region.

A partnership between the    PCFA, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District and the local community has allowed for a prostate cancer coordinator position to be created for the region. This new role will provide a specialist nurse coordinator to work with patients and their families to offer support, assist with access to services, source information about diagnosis and treatment, coordinate care, and help with education and training of other healthcare workers. The coordinator will be based in the Wagga Wagga Health Service and will coordinate support for prostate cancer patients in surrounding towns, including Cootamundra and Young in my electorate, through regular education and training sessions and so on. They will also be making use of technology, such as videoconferencing, to enhance support.

The specialist nurse will see patients outside of Wagga Wagga and will provide guidance and expertise to up-skill local cancer care coordinators. That is a very important part of this, because it is very different dealing with prostrate cancer versus other sorts of cancer. We know there is, of course, magnificent support for breast cancer, but it is very different. Jill Ludford, Chief Executive of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, said the prostate cancer nurse was an:

… important priority for our region and this outcome is a great example of community partnerships. The Murrumbidgee Local Health District is keen to work with support groups and continue to meet regularly with them on the back of this good news story.

After hearing news of the support that we now have, I jumped straight on the phone to the president of the Cootamundra Prostate Cancer Support Group, Eddy Williams. Eddy said:

We are absolutely delighted the Federal Government has made the funds available. The Cootamundra Prostate Cancer Support Group advocated strongly with many letters going to various people. We are so happy; this will make a difference and it will save lives. It is a very, very important role the prostate nurse has, as they are there to follow-up with the patient and their family right through the journey.

It is wonderful seeing Eddy getting that support he has fought for for so long. I would also like to note the key role Sherrie McCaffery and Bob Bowcher of the Cootamundra Prostate Cancer Support Group have played in lobbying stakeholders on this issue, and I note the keen interest of the newly formed Young Prostate Cancer Support Group.

This is an outstanding result from an active community campaign, and I am delighted to announce this news to the House    during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Debate adjourned.

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