Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to inform the chamber that Senator Hanson-Young will also sponsor this motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Marielle Smith and Hanson-Young, move:

That the Senate—

(a) recognises that in Australia:

  (i) ovarian cancer is the eighth most common disease, and it is the fifth highest cancer-related death in women,

  (ii) ovarian cancer is more common in women aged 50 and over,

  (iii) however it is not isolated to women over 50 – ovarian cancer can also affect young women, which is why it is vitally important to raise awareness of the disease in all women and girls, and

  (iv) around 1,600 women will be diagnosed with the disease each year, with around 1,047 women dying from the disease;

(b) notes that:

  (i) February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, which aims to ensure the voices of women living with ovarian cancer are heard,

  (ii) it is important that more action and awareness is given, so that all women can be educated to know the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer,

  (iii) in the past 30 years, other cancers have been able to achieve amazing improvements in awareness, funding and survival rates, and

  (iv) this needs to happen for women with ovarian cancer; and

(c) calls on the Australian Government to recognise that more resources are needed to help educate and find a cure for ovarian cancer so we can give hope to women and reduce the number of women who die from this disease.

Question agreed to.