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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-04-30 Daily Xml
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Multiple Sclerosis

The Hon. J.S. LEE (17:12): I move:

That this council–

1. Congratulates the MS Society SA & NT for hosting the MS Mighty Swim, which is one of the largest fundraising events in South Australia to support those affected by multiple sclerosis (MS), since 2005 and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the event this year;

2. Notes that MS is a chronic, neurodegenerative condition that impacts the body’s central nervous system and currently affects over 33,000 people across Australia and over 2,900 people across South Australia;

3. Recognises that MS Society SA & NT is a leading organisation in providing information, education, connection, care and support to people living with MS across South Australia and the Northern Territory;

4. Acknowledges the MS Society SA & NT President, Ms Kerry Sanders; CEO, Mr Shaun Kennedy; board members, executive and staff for their dedication and contributions to serving and supporting those afflicted with MS and their families; and

5. Commends MS Society SA & NT for its significant contributions towards providing every person living with MS access to the highest standard of services and support they need to live well.

It is a great honour to congratulate the MS Society SA & NT for their many years of important work, including 20 years of successfully holding the MS Mighty Swim. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, neurodegenerative disease that attacks the central nervous system, brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It currently affects more than 30,000 people across Australia and over 2,900 people in South Australia.

It is an unfortunate disease that causes fatigue, pain, mood changes, altered sensations and changes in memory, concentration and reasoning, among other symptoms. On average, the quality of life for people with MS in Australia is 31 per cent less than for those of the overall Australian population. MS is estimated to have cost the Australian community close to $2.5 billion as of 2021. At an average cost of about $73,000 per person, this is quadruple the cost of a long-term cancer survivor.

It is not yet known what causes multiple sclerosis or why it affects one person and not another. As a result, people living with MS are often faced with uncertainty about the future. There is no one test that will say a person has MS. Unfortunately, receiving a diagnosis can be a difficult and time-consuming process as each person's case of MS is different and can present with different and often vague symptoms which make this very mysterious disease require a lot more assistance. This is a harsh and unfortunate reality that those living with MS have to face each day. It is why I am so deeply grateful for the work of the MS Society SA & NT to help improve the lives of those with MS and in funding research to find solutions to diagnosing and treating MS.

The MS Society is a leading organisation providing information, education, connection, care and support to people living with MS across South Australia and the Northern Territory. Their services include providing MS nurses who can give expert information and advice; physiotherapy and occupational therapy; organising social and peer support groups; specialist employment services; and NDIS planning and support. The MS Society also plays a key role in contributing significant funds to Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia to support ongoing national MS research efforts. They primarily accomplish this through their various fundraising programs, which in 2023-24 managed to raise over $900,000.

One of the largest of these fundraisers is the MS Mighty Swim. The MS Mighty Swim has been held since 2005, with the 20th edition being held earlier this year in February. For 24 continuous hours, the Unley Swimming Centre was transformed into a vibrant celebration of community spirit and determination, with 13 dedicated teams taking to the water in a powerful demonstration of solidarity with South Australians living with MS.

The MS Mighty Swim is a 24-hour swimming relay-style event that brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to raise vital funds to support people living with MS. The event was also filled with entertainment, including live music and family activities, and created a festival atmosphere that celebrated both the competitive spirit and deeper mission of supporting those affected by MS. This milestone event reached record heights this year with 253 participants who swam an incredible 8,283 laps and raised over $160,000.

It was my honour to attend the closing ceremony, alongside Mr Rod Bunten, to speak with the swimmers and volunteers and bring the festivities to a meaningful conclusion in a touching display of cross-community support. The Governor, Her Excellency the Hon. Frances Adamson AC, and Mr Rod Bunten are joint patrons of the MS Society SA & NT. I would like to thank them both for their strong support and advocacy for the society, and I would like to also commend the Mayor of Unley, Michael Hewitson AM, for his tremendous support as well.

The ever so energetic Shanelle Franklin did a fantastic job as the master of ceremonies. I was also amazed to learn about the many inspirational stories, including Rita Smith, who at 90 years young completed her 20th consecutive MS Mighty Swim. Rita's unwavering commitment over the two decades honours her daughter, Helen, who lives with MS, exemplifying the profound personal connections that drive this community. With wonderful stories like Rita's and many others, the MS Mighty Swim stands as a testament to what is possible when a community unites around a shared purpose, creating hope, fostering inclusion and, ultimately, changing lives.

I would like to take this moment to highlight the leadership team at the MS Society SA & NT. The board of directors comprises eight positions elected by members. It is chaired by Kerry Sanders, alongside Dr David Wilkinson OAM, Adrian Hinton, Maureen Lawlor, Geoff Bowels, Rachel Allen, Professor Jenny Fereday and Will Gray. The combined knowledge and experience of the board helps to guide the organisation's strategic direction.

There are also six executive staff who work with the board to drive impactful changes. They are CEO Shaun Kennedy, Jason Morrison, Sarah Fitzharris, Karin Ridgeway, Helen Whitworth and Ileana Nadu. I would like to add a special shout-out to my friend Steven Rypp, the executive assistant, for his wonderful support in sharing all the information and making sure that my office was supplied with all the knowledge and information for this particular contribution today.

My heartfelt thank you to the board members and executive staff for their passion, dedication and leadership, which guides a wonderful group of staff and volunteers towards accomplishing their vision of eliminating MS and ensuring that every person living with MS is accessing the highest standard of services and support they need to live well.

The MS Society faces unprecedented challenges in providing essential care. Currently in South Australia there is a patient to nurse ratio of 995:1—I will just repeat that: 995:1. This is triple the recommended best practice ratio of 315:1. With MS prevalence increasing in South Australia, which has the fourth highest number of people living with MS nationally, the MS Society's resources are severely stretched.

I would also like to highlight other key challenges. These include limited access to disease modifying therapies, with only 62 per cent of MS patients currently receiving these vital treatments; complex NDIS navigation barriers, preventing 50 to 70 per cent of eligible individuals from accessing support; restricted Medicare billing capability for specialist nursing services; rising service delivery costs for complex neurological care; and declining fundraising income due to economic pressures. These are all resulting in over 20 per cent of MS patients having unmet healthcare needs.

So today I am joining with the MS Society to call on the government to fund additional dedicated specialist MS nurses. I understand there has already been proposed a strategic partnership plan which builds on the $2 million that has already been invested by the MS Society into their new Wellness Centre. The proposal calls for a three-year funding commitment of $1.2 million to support specialist MS nurse positions, noting that every dollar invested in MS nurses equals a saving of $11 in healthcare costs.

This partnership will leverage existing infrastructure and expertise to deliver maximum impact for the community. With the increasing needs for improved healthcare services and decreasing dependability of fundraising and revenue raising due to cost-of-living pressures, it is a sensible proposal which will help some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

Together we can build a more sustainable, accessible healthcare future for people living with MS and other neurological conditions across South Australia. Once again, I express my heartfelt thanks to the MS Society SA & NT for their outstanding hard work and compassion, and I also congratulate them on achieving and hosting 20 years of the MS Mighty Swim. I would like to wholeheartedly commend this motion to the chamber.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.

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