Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

As just stated by the very hardworking member for Grey, today is World Diabetes Day; that's why I'm wearing this badge. I co-chair the Parliamentary Friends for the Prevention of Diabetes group with the member for Grey. He's set out the horror story. As co-chairs, we're very passionate about raising awareness for a condition that affects over 1.5 million Australians.

Type 1 is very complicated. My mother suffered from type 2 diabetes, diagnosed in her late 50s to early 60s. Coming from country Queensland, a good diet of fresh fruit and veggies wasn't always cheap or readily available—especially for a single parent with 10 children. One of my siblings has just been diagnosed as prediabetic. While my sibling walks to and from work every day, you can't run outrun or outwalk a bad diet. However, as the member for Grey said, there is good news: if you change your diet and lifestyle, you can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Not only is diabetes detrimental at a personal level; it has massive economic costs, with the total annual cost coming in at around $17.6 billion, according to Diabetes Australia. Diabetes Australia provides a number of services including education and support programs, including the Diabetes in Schools program to provide support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students living with type 2 diabetes.

On World Diabetes Day, I ask all to think of the impact diabetes has on Australians and to educate— (Time expired)

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