Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The month of March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and today I want to give a shout-out to the incredible groups who do so much to support women with endo, which until recently was a much-neglected women's health issue. I will always be immensely grateful to the former member for Canberra Gai Brodtmann for starting the Parliamentary Friends of Endometriosis Awareness with me way back in 2017, and to the member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters, who's currently on maternity leave, for taking up the fight when Gai retired. We wish Lisa all the very best. Ladies, we have been so powerful working together. I'm also very grateful to the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, for being the first health minister to take this issue seriously.

Endometriosis is a serious condition. It causes cells like the lining of the uterus to grow throughout a woman's pelvis. It causes very serious period pain, which, it's important to understand, means pain that requires more than paracetamol, Nurofen or Naprogesic to get rid of. It causes heavy periods, flooding, clotting, obvious and uncomfortable bloating and bowel issues, bladder pain, pain with intercourse, and infertility. I say to any women out there affected by any of these issues: please get help. RANZCOG has a great new tool called the RATE. Check it out. Self-diagnose. Go to your GP.

I want to specifically mention the following amazing groups: EndoActive, Endometriosis Australia, QENDO, the Pelvic Pain Foundation, Endo Perth Sisters and Endometriosis WA. Ladies, these groups provide the most amazing support. There are people out there to help you. Get the help that you need.