John Madigan (Victoria, Democratic Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Xenophon, Smith and Di Natale, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Sleep Health Foundation is one of Australia's foremost authorities on sleep disorders and their effects,

(ii) the Foundation aims to raise public awareness of sleep health issues and to improve public health and safety through the treatment of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation, and

(iii) the Foundation's report, Re-awakening Australia: The economic cost of sleep disorders in Australia, 2010 (dated October 2011) estimates the total cost of sleep disorders on the Australian health system in 2010 at $5.1 billion, with a broader economic cost to the community of $31.4 billion;

(b) recognises that reducing the incidence of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation would have a positive effect on the wellbeing of the Australian community as well as on the economy; and

(c) calls on the Government to review the findings of the Foundation's study and consider the inclusion of sleep health issues as part of a broader preventive health strategy.

Question agreed to.