Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's March into Yellow—Endometriosis Awareness Month. It's a chance for all of us to don yellow to raise awareness of this debilitating and chronic disease. One in nine women and girls in Australia are affected by endometriosis, and quite often have been told throughout their lives to just put up with it and get over it—it's just something that women go through! We now know a lot more about endometriosis, and March is the chance to raise awareness.

This government is acting. There is $80 million in funding towards the National Action Plan for Endometriosis. It involves, apart from education and awareness-raising, funding that is going towards pelvic pain clinics and key organisations. I congratulate and thank the many organisations and partners that are involved in Endometriosis Australia, endometriosis patients and their families for their continued advocacy and campaigning on this issue.

Standing here today, I don't feel that I've done former colleague of mine Gai Brodtmann justice. She was a true endo warrior, and would get all of us in yellow and up on our feet not just in March but every month to remind us that we have a role to play in this place to keep endometriosis on the agenda so fewer women and girls suffer into the future. This month: wear yellow, and let's raise awareness around endometriosis.