Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 27 October this year, it was Pink Ribbon Day. On that day, I was to rise to give a 90-second statement to help emphasise the importance of supporting efforts by the Cancer Council to raise funds in support of many thousands of women affected by breast cancer. That morning, I received a call from home informing me that my wife, Jodi Dack, had had her cancer return. So, instead, that morning I was on a plane so that I could go and comfort her, after she had already endured fighting for 26 months when the breast cancer was originally detected in August 2012. Her endurance and courage were remarkable and inspiring, and I have no doubt she will bring the same resolve and the same bravery to fighting once again.

I rise not just on behalf of my loved one. I rise on behalf of all women—the many thousands—affected by breast cancer. One in eight will develop breast cancer in their lifetime in Australia. Fifteen thousand or more women are predicted to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Improvements in survival rates are attributed to improved treatments and diagnosis for breast cancer.

It is with this in mind that I wish to highlight an application requesting Medicare Benefits Schedule listing, primarily of breast MRI to guide treatment in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, which was received from the Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand by the Department of Health and Ageing in September 2012.

The use of breast MRI is proposed to offer improved local staging and/or early treatment, monitoring and planning. The proposed indications are (1) women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing pre-operative chemotherapy; (2) women newly diagnosed with lobular subtype breast cancer; (3) women newly diagnosed with breast cancer who are (a) aged under 50 and/or (b) have very dense breasts which preclude mammographic assessment, and/or (c) have a significant size discrepancy between mammogram and ultrasound findings, or (d) have suspicious/malignant calcifications which may underestimate the extent of ductal carcinoma in situ disease; and (4) women presenting with metastatic breast cancer in lymph nodes where conventional imaging and examination fails to show the source of the tumour. The use of breast MRI is also proposed for MRI guided biopsy in patients with suspected breast cancer where the lesion is only identifiable by MRI.

Breast MRI is not currently listed on the MBS for these purposes, and therefore this application by the Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand is a very important one. It came in under the previous government and would, of course, be considered by this government. The application is for five new MBS items for women of any age who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

I rise not just because of my own personal circumstances; I rise on behalf of all women who have breast cancer or who may face the threat of it. And I do not rise in a partisan manner. I rise in a bipartisan manner in the hope that the parliament considers this matter and that the executive considers the merits of such improvements to breast cancer treatment and appreciates how such an approach is likely either to prevent incurable cancer—which can occur once the cancer becomes secondary—or to extend the life of woman who may have cancer, where that cancer can go into remission

We have done remarkable things. Australia has been a leading country in this very important area. We have great institutions that do wonderful things. We have great foundations like the McGrath Foundation that raise this issue and bring it to the attention of many millions of Australians.

I just raise this submission in relation to the application made by the Breast Surgeons of Australia, because it is timely and it is something we can do. We all know that there are budgetary considerations and fiscal challenges for any government, but this, I think, is a significant matter. It is something that I hope the government pays due attention to and that we can move forward as a parliament and provide better opportunities for women in Australia dealing with such a challenge.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his contribution.