Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It feels like only yesterday that I was standing in this place talking about endometriosis awareness last year. But as we come towards the close of Endometriosis Awareness Month I feel it important to highlight this important issue before the House adjourns tonight. It is an issue that stands above political lines and is a cause that garners support from across the chamber. It is important that we shed light on women's health and work in a bipartisan way to establish a path toward better health outcomes for women and girls.

It is in this light that I want to thank those around this chamber who have spoken on this issue over the course of the month, helping to raise awareness. When giving a speech last year about my wife's battle with endometriosis, I wasn't prepared for the level of awareness it would raise, not just in this place but, more importantly, in my local community: 'We saw your speech in parliament. It helped start a conversation in our household with my daughter'—or 'my partner' or 'my mother'. There were so many positive conversations, all because of telling our story.

Endometriosis affects one in seven Australian women and girls, or approximately 700,000 Australians. It is a crippling, chronic condition that can start at puberty and continue beyond menopause. It accounted for 34,200 hospitalisations in Australia in 2016-17 alone. The cause of endometriosis remains unknown. There is no known way to prevent it, and it remains without a cure. Symptoms can be treated with medicines or, in some cases, surgery, but this is all to varying degrees of success.

It is important to acknowledge that the government is addressing endometriosis at a national level through the National Action Plan for Endometriosis, something introduced by those opposite in 2018. At its time, it was a world first. We are proud to be delivering 22 pelvic pain clinics around Australia, along with access to new Medicare funded MRI scans in order to assist investigations of infertility for those with severe endometriosis. I want to acknowledge the South Australian state member for Waite, Catherine Hutchesson, for her work toward establishing the Parliamentary Select Committee into Endometriosis to conduct an inquiry to examine the prevalence of endo, its effects on SA women, and how to improve treatments and supports.

Whilst all this goes some way to delivering better outcomes, it is important to recognise that we need to do more to help women and girls who are suffering in our communities—people like Shae, who I met at the Munno Para shops recently and who spoke to me about the pain being experienced on an everyday basis. Living with endometriosis to such an extreme, Shae has had to all but completely withdraw from the community beyond the four walls of home. This is a story of debilitating pain that has been unsuccessfully treated with surgery on multiple occasions. What makes this worse is that Shae can't afford private health cover because she is unable to work and, having spent savings and money borrowed from friends and family, is now on a long waiting list for further surgery through the public system. Day by day, Shae's condition worsens. Pain increases, as does the need for stronger pain relief. Endo is working its way around, causing complications that continue to reduce quality of life. Heavy pain relief means Shae can no longer drive to work, to the shops or even to medical appointments. She was a young, bright star with a bright future, but her life is now on hold. She is hanging in limbo indefinitely until help arrives by way of surgery. This is the life that so many people live silently. People like Shae need people like us to speak on their behalf for the delivery of better outcomes for women's health.

I would like to close by echoing remarks made by the member for Forrest, the co-chair of Parliamentary Friends of Endometriosis Awareness, and encouraging women with endo to sign up to the Australian National Endometriosis Clinical and Scientific Trials Registry and become part of a research network made up of clinicians, healthcare providers, scientists, patients and consumer reps who are determined to fill gaps in endo research to improve patient care and provide better treatment options and more affordable medicines. You could help lead to a breakthrough to improve the understanding and, hopefully, one day lead to a cure.

For people like Shae, my wife, Cassandra, and the thousands of women's and girls in my community back home living with the daily battle and pain that is endo: your bravery is something to behold. I will continue to fight for you and for a better quality of life.

House adjourned at 19:59