Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Children in South-East Queensland who are affected by a life-limiting condition, and the families of these children, have something very exciting to look forward to. Hummingbird House is the first joint initiative of Queensland Kids and Wesley Mission Brisbane, operating as Queensland's only children's hospice.

Currently an estimated 3,700 children living throughout Queensland have a life-limiting condition. For many years, there has been a gap in services for children who require palliative care and their families. Hummingbird House will go some way to help fill that gap. I would like to acknowledge that this gap was recognised at Senate estimates back in 2012 and by the Queensland state government.

Hummingbird House will operate as an eight-bed, 24/7 medical facility where children will have access to physicians, nursing support, pain and symptom management, both scheduled and emergency respite and end-of-life care. It will be built on just over an acre at Chermside on Brisbane's north side at Wesley Mission's Wheller Gardens site. The existing building is currently being demolished, and I have been updated that the new building will be operational this time next year.

There is $5.5 million from the federal government going towards this project as well as $5.5 million from the state government. I would like to particularly thank the Health Minister, Peter Dutton, for funding this project of Hummingbird House. It is much needed, Peter, and I certainly do thank you. I also thank the Queensland state government for their funding. I would like to particularly acknowledge Kerri-Anne Dooley, the LNP candidate for the state seat of Redcliffe, who works for the Wesley Mission, but who has also been a strong advocate for Hummingbird House and for making people in my electorate aware of the important need it will fill.

I must thank Gabrielle and Paul Quilliam, who are the cofounders of Hummingbird House. Gabrielle and Paul, thank you for your passion, your advocacy and the sacrifice that you have made in making this a reality. I also thank my good friends Mark and Fiona Engwirda. My wife, Louise, and I have known Mark and Fiona for about 12 years. Their third child Kate died at the age of two. She was born as a sick child who needed a lot of operations. What I got to see, through my involvement with Mark and Fiona, was that Hummingbird House would provide much support to families, not just to the children, because families have as much of an impact on them. It can affect their finances and marriage, and it can affect the other siblings in the household who do not get to spend as much time with the parents.

So, well done to everyone who has been involved in making this a reality. We look forward to the opening of Hummingbird House next year.