Mal Washer (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Would the minister advise the House what the government is doing to fight cancer in Australia? In particular, what recent steps have been taken to improve detection and treatment of bowel cancer?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Moore for his question. I thank him for the passion and commitment that he brings to all of these health issues based on his long experience as a medical practitioner in the suburbs of Perth. I regret to say that cancer will afflict one in three Australian males and one in four Australian females before the age of 75, but the good news is that Australian cancer survival rates are the second highest in the world and that our cancer survival rates have increased by 14 per cent over the last 20 years.

Bowel cancer, I regret to say, currently kills about 5,000 Australians a year, but the good news is that it is relatively easy to treat and cure if it is detected early. Over the next two years, everyone turning 55 and 65—more than one million people—will be offered bowel cancer screening as the first stage of the government’s national bowel cancer screening program. The first test kits went out in the mail this week in Queensland. Test kits will be going out in New South Wales from next week and test kits will be going out in Victoria from next month. I say to the Australian people: if you do have the chance to be screened, take it because it could save your life. It is estimated that, of the 25,000 people who participated in the trial program, some 20 lives were saved. Finally, I would like to thank the states and territories for their cooperation in establishing this important new national program.