Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to take note of the Community Affairs References Committee's report on perimenopause and menopause. The inquiry looked into issues in a way that was comprehensive. We spent a great deal of time looking into this matter. We travelled around the country hearing from women and men of all persuasions and circumstances about the varied experiences that they'd had and about how the range of symptoms, mental and emotional experiences and treatment roadblocks impacted on productivity and their ability to flourish in the workplace. We also heard from a range of business groups, medical organisations, clinicians and health practitioners involved in the employment, treatment and care of women at this stage of life.

I guess one of the biggest takeaways of the inquiry for me was the sheer lack of understanding and awareness surrounding menopause and perimenopause. I admit that I had never heard the term 'perimenopause' before I was put on this inquiry. As a woman who's getting towards the end of my 40s, it's extraordinary that I had never heard that term. We did learn that menopause is a lot more than a hot flush and no more babies. There's a whole lot more that goes on with menopause, and I think a lot of women don't know that what they're experiencing is perimenopause.

At this stage, I want to take the time to acknowledge my colleagues from around the chamber who were on this inquiry. There's nothing like a group of women sitting around sharing experiences, such as what the hot flush looks like and how itchy skin, which was something I was experiencing—and had no idea—was a possible symptom of perimenopause. I would like to give particular thanks to Senator Allman-Payne, who without I'm not sure I'd already have my Oestrogel. She taught me all about what I should be getting, so that when I walked into my GP I knew exactly what to tell Jeremy I wanted.

This just demonstrates the importance of having the conversation, the need to have the conversation, and for it to be out in the open. It is extraordinary to think 50 per cent—really 51 per cent—of the population will go through this. They will go through menopause. Whether they experience significant symptoms or not, whether they struggle with it or cruise on through, they are going to go through this; yet it's something that is still taboo, that is not spoken about.

I know as we all were travelling and talking about it, certainly most of our mothers never breathed a word about menopause. Even when I was at school, when girls got their period it was something that was secretly talked about between you and your mum and no-one else. You never breathed another word. But you see teenage girls now, and it's like, 'Whatever.' It's not a big thing. The shame, the stigma and the embarrassment around menstruation issues have dissipated. It's got to what I always think is a good stage where people can openly joke about it or make a comment or where it's not a big deal, and boyfriends don't hide tampons under the bananas at the supermarket. They're all quite happy and open when it comes to those issues. I really hope we can get the same way with menopause, because the more open and frank discussions we have, the more we can see the funny side of it and the more we can support each other. The more we acknowledge that this is a natural part of life, the more the acceptance will just naturally grow, and it will not be some big deal that everyone's got to deal with.

We did hear that there are a lot of areas that need improvement. The recommendations that we've made have highlighted the need for that broader awareness, that need to destigmatise and increase understanding. We probably just need to get the term 'perimenopause' out there, because lots and lots of women have never in their lives heard of it. We want to empower women to speak openly about this and about their experiences. I think it's also important that we empower men to speak about it as well. And it would be nice if once in a while one of the blokes in here to put their hand up for a community affairs committee inquiry that's looking at things that they think are soft social issues, not big tough ones like defence or national security: 'We don't go to that.' Particularly for men who have partners, wives, daughters, mothers, they are going to be part of this experience whether they like it or not. By having those open and frank discussions, mothers and sons—I have two teenage boys—they will understand what's happening, or what is going on at any given moment, so that when they are in relationships later in life it won't be something that confronts them or be something about which they have no comprehension in terms of what it means for them or their partner.

The lack of knowledge of GPs was really quite disturbing. Women's anatomy was not even taught in the fifties, which is 80 years ago. Less than 80 years ago, they did not even teach women's anatomy. GP learning is something that has to be significantly improved. A lot of GPs still have a lot of outdated views when it comes to hormone replacement therapy. They are still drawing the breast cancer link. Obviously, those things can be much better managed, products are different and a debunking has occurred. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed when it comes to GPs.

Men are encouraged to have prostate checks, the bowel cancer screening checks go out and there is heart health. All of these things are discussed but there needs to be a focus more on women's health, particularly post babies. Everyone does a lot pre babies. You spend a lot of time at the doctor with babies. Then you kind of go into a health vacuum because you are kind of just ticking along. There does need to be more of awareness and understanding that women at some time will require longer consults. When things are happening and changing within, whether it is anxiety, whether it is sleepless nights, whether it is itchy skin, these can all be signs of perimenopause or menopause and it does not have to happen bang on 50. It can happen much earlier in life. Women need to stop being dismissed out of hand that this could not be happening to them because they are too young. We heard time and time again of the number of women who did enter early menopause and were fundamentally gaslit by the health professionals—that there was no way they could be experiencing this.

I acknowledge Senator Waters' comments around her very clear passion for menopause leave at the beginning of this inquiry. It does show why these things work, how people's minds can be changed and attitudes can be shifted, because we did hear an awful lot from women's groups as well as industry groups that menopause leave might not be the right way to go. Certainly the coalition's additional comments have opposed, if you like, that it should be a legislated kind of leave.

When we talk about the awareness of menopause, when we put it out there and talk of the symptoms, not everyone gets brain fog. We don't want everyone thinking that every woman in their 50s all of a sudden becomes addled; that is not what happens. But we do need to acknowledge these things occur. If we get the awareness out there and destigmatise this, we want it to be something that is a positive for women. Women when they are going through menopause are quite often at the peak of their career, at the peak of their productivity. We should be really harnessing that to make sure we are not losing women at that time of their cycle and not bringing in any sort of unconscious bias from employers about hiring women in their mid-40s and beyond. You are going to get the best out of women much in those years. Their kids can get the bus home by themselves. There are a few things have gone on in their lives. They are probably not dealing with nappies anymore or as many school assignments or racing around to sports, so they have more time. They are not going into the workforce looking for part-time; this is when they can step up to full-time work. We need to make sure that employers understand menopause is something 50 per cent of the population is going to go through. It is not the end of the world. A lot of women are not going to have a lot of symptoms. Eighty per cent of women are going to skate through with mild or no symptoms at all, but we do need to break down the stigma and raise that awareness.