Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications) Share this | Hansard source

I'm advised by Minister Hunt, the responsible minister, that that government response will be handed down in due course. But I'm very happy to speak on the medical research investment that our government is making. On 24 June we will invest $23 million in our world-class researchers to continue the fight against rare cancers and rare diseases.

Senator Griff interjecting—

I know you're laughing, Senator Griff, but that's actually what your Senate inquiry was about. Although we've seen increased survival rates for some cancers, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer, survival rates for rare cancers, such as brain cancer and ovarian cancer, have remained relatively unchanged for some time, as you know. It's a tragedy that rare cancers were estimated to have caused nearly 40 per cent of total cancer deaths in 2017. This funding will create opportunities to address the devastating survival rates associated with some of our cruellest cancers and diseases. (Time expired)