Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to put on the record my great appreciation for a terrific organisation that has helped many people across the country and has been of great assistance to my family. Anaphylaxis Australia is a small organisation that runs on the smell of an oily rag. As a mother of a child with anaphylaxis, I know the great work that it does and it is a comfort to know that there is such support out there.

Today I particularly want to thank one of my constituents who has been a great member of this organisation: Leith Pawsey. Leith Pawsey has been working tirelessly behind the scenes on the implementation of the Victorian legislation which now makes it compulsory for all carers of children to be trained in awareness of anaphylaxis and for the administration of the life-saving drug that is administered by an EpiPen. I call on the other states to adhere and introduce similar legislation to Victoria. I do not know why they have not, given the coronial inquiries in numerous states.

I want to put on the record my absolute appreciation for Leith’s tireless efforts. Leith Pawsey is a great emailer, advocate and phone ringer. She is a terrier when it comes to these things, and you have just got to respect that. She has a child with severe anaphylaxis and she knows all too well the dramas that this can cause. So I say a big thankyou to Leith.

I also want to put on the record my sincere appreciation to Lynn Sendy-Smithers, who has been a phenomenal active volunteer within Victoria for Anaphylaxis Australia. Lynn has been working at this for many years and has been instrumental behind the scenes for the Victorian legislation and now with the implementation of it. Lynn is now taking a step backwards. It has taken a big toll on her and her family. She is an amazing person. We forget that behind a lot of what goes on in parliament relies on groups of volunteers, who do a lot of the legwork. Lynn and Leith have done a huge amount of the legwork in ensuring that this legislation came to pass and that we now have the best legislation in Victoria.

I also want to put on the record my appreciation to Nigel and Martha Baptist, who were recently recognised with the John Ruhno Award through Anaphylaxis Australia. Nigel and Martha may be recognised by people in this place. They tragically lost their son Alex to an anaphylactic attack a couple of years ago. He went off to kinder and never came home. They have been instrumental in raising awareness through the tragic death of their child from this illness. It can be treated, and we need to do more about it.

I also want to say a huge thankyou to Maria Said, the President of Anaphylaxis Australia out of Sydney. Maria is the mother of a child with anaphylaxis. Most of the people involved in these organisations are people who deal with this situation day in and day out. She is a courageous woman who spends a lot of her own money going around the country and advocating on behalf of the organisation. We could not survive without such people.