Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I commend the member for Bennelong and his fine words on this motion. I also rise to speak on the motion moved by the member for Higgins. Clearly there is fierce agreement across both sides of this chamber, the House and the parliament that Australia's efforts in eradicating polio are crucial, and they are supported, regardless of our political inclinations.

My personal connection to this motion is on behalf of the electorate that I proudly represent. Dame Jean Macnamara, who the Australian Electoral Commission honoured with the naming of the electorate of Macnamara—formerly Melbourne Ports—was a pioneer in the treatment of polio. She was a pioneer in the treatment of people and children with polio. I will go into some of the scientific breakthroughs that she was famous for and managed to lead. But one of the things that does not get spoken about in relation to Dame Jean Macnamara, and which should be spoken about in any conversation about polio, is just how frightening it is for a young person or a child who is crippled by this disease. Dame Jean Macnamara was not just known for her brilliance and her sharp mind but also for her bedside manner and her ability to make young children feel calm and supported and to help treat them through this really difficult and awful disease.

Dame Jean also helped lead some of the scientific development that eventually led to the development of a vaccine. While she began the experimental treatments around immune serum, it was widely acknowledged that the work she did in collaboration with Macfarlane Burnet, who is also a famous name in the medical research world of Australia. The Burnet Institute which currently resides in Macnamara, does some outstanding work on malaria vaccines and a range of other bits of research. They have done some outstanding work on COVID. These two fine Australian scientists paved the way for Dr Jonas Salk to develop the polio vaccine. So I pay tribute to Dame Jean, especially her early works in this fight against polio.

Funnily enough, Dame Jean's granddaughter still lives in the seat. She is a dear friend of mine. I know her daughter as well. Dame Jean's granddaughter is actually a doctor, and we were speaking to each other about the outbreak of the coronavirus. I, at the time, had made some firm remarks about the need for vaccination and the need for people to get vaccinated. Dame Jean Macnamara's granddaughter has been running a vaccination clinic locally in my electorate and has literally vaccinated thousands of locals in the effort to combat coronavirus. We were discussing that the stance that I took as a member of parliament but, more importantly, that she took as a doctor is exactly the same stance that Dame Jean Macnamara would have taken had she been here during this pandemic. She would have insisted that vaccinations are the way through this and she would have insisted that people have confidence in taking the vaccine to prevent this disease from spreading. Obviously, this virus is not over. And, obviously, this virus is still running its course through humanity and through the globe. Just like with polio, until COVID is eradicated everywhere, it is eradicated nowhere. We must commit ourselves to the global eradication, not just of polio but also of this awful, novel coronavirus.

The final thing I will say on this is that I think we have heard the best of this parliament in this debate contribute to our efforts on polio. I think it is incumbent on all of us to be giving the same commitment to vaccinations and the treatment of this disease as we have to polio. I think it is fair to say that some members of the government have been outstanding and some members of the government who have been absolutely appalling. Some have put vaccine misinformation out there and actively encouraged civil disobedience against health authorities. I want to call that out in this instance and say that that is not the best of this parliament. It is not acceptable. We commit ourselves on both sides of this House to actually treating people and getting over these two awful diseases.

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