Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My contribution continues on from the member for Solomon’s contribution in relation to cancer treatment in his electorate. The Rudd Labor government’s contribution to improvement of cancer services across this country has not received a lot of media attention but it is one of the great stories around this government’s investment in health and it is making a huge difference to cancer sufferers across the community.

It is no secret that cancer survival rates across regional Australia are well behind those of our metropolitan cities. It is appalling that one of the factors in relation to an individual’s chance of cancer survival rests with the location in which the patient lives. The Victorian Cancer Council published a report called Cancer survival Victoria 2007, which compares survival rates of Victorians in different regions. The report found that the five-year survival rate for cancer sufferers was 62 per cent in Melbourne compared with 59 per cent in the Grampians Integrated Cancer Services region, which is in my electorate.

In the 2009-10 budget, the government committed $560 million from the Health and Hospitals Fund over five years to establish a network of around 10 regional cancer centres, hoping to improve access and support for cancer patients in rural and regional Australia. We made this commitment because we understand the need to improve health outcomes for all Australians. By investing in regional cancer centres, the government is working to turn around cancer survival rates throughout our regional cities. We are working to buck a trend that for too long has gone unnoticed.

The Ballarat community has been working hard to establish its application for the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre. The $55 million proposal includes four radiotherapy bunkers to be located at the Ballarat Base Hospital as well as other treatment facilities and a wellness centre. Austin Health, St John of God, which is the private hospital in my electorate, and Ballarat Health Services have all worked very hard with the Victorian government to submit an extremely strong application. A lot of hard work has been done by the CEO of Ballarat Health Services, Andrew Rowe, and the CEO of St John of God Hospital, John Fogarty, and their staff to achieve such a sound proposal. This proposal has also received tremendous support from my state colleague, Karen Overington, whom I want to commend for her efforts.

The people of Ballarat know too well the importance of lobbying for this important project. Since Ballarat announced its bid to establish a regional cancer centre, I have been overwhelmed to receive over 40 letters, phone calls and emails in support of this project. I would like to quote from some of those letters. Jenny stated:

It’s unfair really that people have to travel to Geelong or elsewhere for their treatment … I hope that you will be able to get funding for this valuable asset.

Faith from Ballarat said:

The Ballarat and surrounding community would really benefit from an increase in funding to allow for a new cancer service, because unfortunately the prevalence of this awful disease is increasing.

We have also received a letter of support from the Committee for Ballarat. In their letter, committee CEO, Doug Lloyd, noted:

We commend in the strongest terms the proposal for the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre for adoption by the Commonwealth Government, and call on the Government to provide the $55m necessary for its implementation.

The community of Lexton, in the member for Wannon’s electorate, has collected a petition. I have had letters from families in Ararat and Stawell, outside my electorate, supporting Ballarat as the hub of cancer treatment services for the Western District of Victoria.

It is unfortunate that members of the Liberal Party are posing a threat to funding for this project. Senator Joyce is still to outline how the opposition will fund their climate change con job, let alone the $10 billion of unfunded promises the Leader of the Opposition has made since September. They are yet to rule out cuts to services such as hospitals and, given the Leader of the Opposition’s form on cutting $l billion from the health budget, I am concerned that Labor’s regional cancer centres will be seen as an easy target. Locally, the Liberal candidate’s performance on this issue has been less than impressive or helpful.

I am hopeful but cautious about Ballarat’s bid being successful. The locations for the centres are currently being assessed by the independent Health and Hospitals Fund Advisory Board, which will provide advice to Minister Roxon. Many regions across Australia are competing for this funding. I believe we have a strong case in Ballarat and I want to thank the many people who have written to me sharing their often painful family experiences and pledging their support for this project. I certainly commend the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre to the government for funding.