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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-03 Daily Xml
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Motions

Hospital Research Foundation Group

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (12:54): I move:

That this house—

(a) congratulates the Hospital Research Foundation Group on celebrating its 60th anniversary this week;

(b) recognises the invaluable contribution made by the Hospital Research Foundation Group supporting more than 60 areas of medical research and patient care in South Australia; and

(c) thanks the Hospital Research Foundation Group for its six decades of meaningful impact to improve the health and wellbeing of South Australians.

Given the time, my speech will be a bit briefer than I had originally intended. If we go back to 1965, there was an original donation of £120 that started off the work that has now become the Hospital Research Foundation. Originally, it became The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Research Foundation, and that donation was one of the things that helped us develop to have the Southern Hemisphere's first live kidney transplant.

The QEH and now the RAH have had a tremendous impact in terms of kidney transplants in South Australia, with 3,400 kidney transplants having happened here in South Australia. The Hospital Research Foundation played a key role in that, but it has grown and grown since then. Of course, because of the generosity of donors, now more than $250 million has been invested in research and patient care just since 2009 alone.

The Hospital Research Foundation has grown to now cover 12 different charities, covering a whole range of issues, from stroke to breast cancer to heart research and palliative care, and the foundation supports 60 areas of medical research and patient care. To name just some of those, the government is partnering with the Hospital Research Foundation in terms of Parkinson's care and having nurses who are working with people with Parkinson's across the state to make sure they can manage their Parkinson's well in the community.

We are also partnering with the Hospital Research Foundation for what is about to be installed at The QEH, which is a new PET machine. That is going to help us in terms of being able to diagnose and treat cancer in the western suburbs, and it is going to be very much appreciated by that community. The Hospital Research Foundation have supported faster and more accurate bowel cancer screening, trials of new therapies for children with brain cancer, innovative treatment of sepsis, world-leading and world-first imaging to better diagnose heart attacks, and the list goes on and on.

It would not happen without, firstly, the donors—and there are so many people who support the Hospital Research Foundation across the state with generous donations—and, secondly, the team. The Deputy Speaker mentioned Rilka and Paul and all of the team who are here today. We thank them for coming into parliament. This is our chance, on behalf of the Parliament of South Australia, to say thank you to the group for what you do. It makes a difference to the lives of South Australians right across the board, and the support you provide is absolutely invaluable for all of our hospitals and healthcare workers, so thank you.

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (12:57): I would like to echo the comments made by the Minister for Health and congratulate Paul, Rilka and your entire team, who are here today, and thank you for your contribution over the last six decades. As the minister has said, you have really helped to change the lives of so many South Australians. You have changed the game of health. To everyone who is here today to celebrate, I say thank you.

I also echo the sentiments of the minister to all of the donors across your various programs. It is extraordinary to have a foundation like this here in South Australia. Thank you for your patience, thank you for being in here and I look forward to celebrating with you at 1 o'clock when we rise. Thank you very much.

Motion carried.

Sitting suspended from 12:59 to 14:00.

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