Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Folks with ADHD in this country are being left behind. 2023 is the year that we can and must change this. Last year in this place I shared some data from a survey that my office asked the ADHD community around the country to complete. We heard from over 10,000 community members, and the experiences that they shared with us revealed some huge gaps in our healthcare system and in the systems that are meant to support people with ADHD. I heard clearly that the wait times to get appointments are currently too long and that, if you can find a medical professional with appointments available, they are often outside of your geographical location. Getting an ADHD diagnosis in this country is just too costly. People are right now being stigmatised when accessing medications that they need, and these medications are too costly if you can finally get onto them.

It is clear that there are many decisions which this government makes that are putting barriers in the way. To the community, let me be really clear: I hear you; the Greens hear you. I'm happy to share with you that the Australian Greens party room have agreed to my proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into ADHD diagnosis and the care that is provided to the community in this country. We hope that the government will back our proposal when the time comes. This inquiry will give us the opportunity to radically transform the lives of millions. We can only address the many shortfalls in this space by first acknowledging that they exist. Together—we here in this place and you in the community—we can fix ADHD care in this country. Let's get it done.