Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to table a petition from residents of Western New South Wales.

The petition read as follows—

This petition of concerned citizens of the Federal electorate of Parkes and wider Australia draws to the attention of the House the urgent need in Western New South Wales (NSW) for more equitable access to services to diagnose and treat cancer. Currently residents of Western NSW are required to travel to locations such as Sydney and Orange in order to obtain diagnosis and treatment of this disease. In many cases, the travel involved leaves cancer patients and their families severely out of pocket and sees them away form their homes for often extensive periods of time. In addition, the emotional and physical toll this takes on patients and their families can be crippling. Doctors from the NSW Western Local Health District have reported that there are many cases where residents in rural and regional areas are refusing to undertake diagnosis and treatment for cancer as they cannot afford to leave their homes and families. This is particularly the case for residents in Indigenous communities across Western NSW.

We therefore ask the House to do all in its power to provide funding towards stage 4 of the NSW Government's redevelopment of the Dubbo Hospital. The funding will facilitate the necessary infrastructure for an integrated cancer centre that would include equipment for both diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

From 45,971 citizens.

Petition received.

Every now and then in your life you get to be part of something that grows and becomes bigger than anyone could ever imagine. The campaign for an integrated cancer care centre for Western New South Wales, based at Dubbo, is a classic case. Earlier this year I was approached by a delegation led by the West Dubbo Rotary Club, clinicians Dr Honeywell and Dr McClintock, and other health professionals from Dubbo Base Hospital, and representatives from the Aboriginal community, through the Jimmy Little Foundation. In the gallery today I would like to recognise Lyn Smith from the West Dubbo Rotary Club and Frances Peters-Little, daughter of the famous singer Jimmy Little, here today to witness the presentation to the Australian Parliament of a petition with 45,961 signatures on it. It was decided from that meeting that it was needed to demonstrate the support that this centre for Western New South Wales would have. A small band of helpers, led by Lyn Smith, and including members of my staff in Dubbo, distributed these petitions right through Western New South Wales in towns like Bourke, Brewarrina, Nyngan, Cobar, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran and many other places as well. This overwhelming support shows the need for an integrated cancer centre in Dubbo, one that not only has the ability to supply treatment to people but has a world-class diagnostic facility there. This centre will have a PET scanner, the first one in Western New South Wales.

I am pleased to say that the presentation of this petition is a little redundant, because during the election campaign Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced that the federal government would contribute $25 million towards that centre, based in stages 3 and 4 at Dubbo Base Hospital. The New South Wales government, led by the local member, Deputy Premier Troy Grant, said that they would supply the funds to continue this project and see it to fruition. We are looking at a project in excess of $50 million that will be constructed in stages 3 and 4 of the redevelopment of Dubbo Base Hospital. Planning has already been undertaken for that. The early stages of the demolition of the old hospital site to enable new construction will commence next year. I believe that by some time in 2019 we should have patients from Western New South Wales attending the centre.

The reason this is important is the fact that the chance of dying at an earlier age in western New South Wales is far above the national average. One of the reasons that people die in western New South Wales is that, quite frankly, it is too difficult to receive treatment. I represent the second-largest Aboriginal population of any electorate in Australia. The Aboriginal people are connected to their community and if this service is located in Dubbo they will come to dub a treatment, because they will have family connections. They were soon have a hostile provided at Macquarie Home Stay, where they can stay while they are undertaking this treatment. They will not have to undergo the arduous journey either to Sydney or to Orange for this treatment. So I would like to congratulate the people of western New South Wales who signed these petitions and distributed them and showed their passion and the need for this. I would like to recognise the representatives, Lyn Smith and Frani Peters-Little, who are in the gallery today, and to you, Mr Speaker, and to the Australia Parliament I present this petition to demonstrate the will, the need and the desire of the people of Western New South Wales to have this setup, and I would like to show my appreciation to my colleagues in the government, Senator Fiona Nash and the Deputy Prime Minister, for making that happen.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Parkes and, as I said, in recognition of his capacity as Deputy Speaker, it is my great pleasure to welcome his guests to the House of Representatives this afternoon.