Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes that World Kidney Day, held on 10 March 2016, is an opportunity to raise awareness of kidney disease;

(b)   acknowledges that:

(i)   severe kidney disease is more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples than non–Indigenous Australians, and

(ii)   Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are more likely to die from kidney disease;

(c)   recognises:

(i)   the importance of prevention and dialysis services for remote communities,

(ii)   that governments have provided funding for kidney health services in remote communities, particularly most recently in central Australia, and

(iii)   the on-going need for further prevention and dialysis services in Australia, including northern Australia; and

(d)   calls on the Government to continue to invest in kidney health in Australia.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government supports this motion and is committed to funding renal support for remote Indigenous Australians in Central Australia. This includes funding totalling $10 million over three years to the Northern Territory government to develop accommodation in Tennant Creek and Alice Springs; funding of $9 million over three years to Purple House to continue its delivery of dialysis services and a range of renal support activities in Alice Springs and remote communities in Central Australia; and providing a further $6.3 million for the development of additional renal infrastructure in remote communities to assist renal patients to remain in these communities.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in remote Central Australia experience end-stage renal disease at rates 18 to 20 times higher than that of the wider Australian population. This new funding complements the coalition's commitment of $1.4 billion over three years to continue the delivery of primary health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Siewert be agreed to.

Question agreed to.