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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-09-13 Daily Xml
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Daffodil Day

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. R.B. Martin:

That this council—

1. Acknowledges that 22 August 2023 is Daffodil Day; and

2. Commends the Cancer Council for its ongoing commitment to raising funds for cancer research, increasing cancer awareness and providing support to Australians diagnosed with cancer and their families.

(Continued from 30 August 2023.)

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (17:34): I rise to indicate the opposition's support of the motion brought forward by the honourable member. Cancer care services, such as those provided by Cancer Care SA, are critical to South Australians experiencing or in remission from cancer. Cancer Council SA plays a critical role in public health by promoting cancer prevention and early screening programs.

Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and regular screenings can reduce the incidence of cancer and improve South Australia's overall community health. They play a crucial role in early detection and diagnosis of certain cancers. A timely detection can lead to more effective treatment options and better outcomes for patients right across this state and the nation.

Cancer Council SA is a highly visible, not-for-profit organisation, on site at community events with skin cancer awareness messaging encouraging healthy lifestyles and good food choices. They have strong advertising campaigns for bowel and breast screening, skin checks, the impacts of alcohol and self-collection cervical screening options.

While I acknowledge the extraordinary ongoing work of the Cancer Council of South Australia, I take this opportunity to again remind the chamber of the urgent need to include cancer-related radiation therapy services in the South-East. Sixteen thousand community members signed and submitted a petition to the parliament encouraging the government to do the right thing and to commit these services to Mount Gambier. I acknowledge my honourable colleague Ben Hood in his advocacy for delivering these services to the South-East.

The Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service is part of the Limestone Coast Local Health Network, and they provide a fantastic range of acute services, including specialist surgical, obstetric, paediatric and anaesthetic services delivered by medical consultants, but they do not have radiation therapy services and currently South-East patients must attend Adelaide or Wollongong for these treatments.

Cancer Council SA used a slogan in their 2022 election priority collateral, where they stated 'Distance should not equal disadvantage'. I wholeheartedly agree with that message. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible support the Cancer Council Lodge has given for decades to regional and remote patients travelling to Adelaide for treatment.

From the comfortable home away from home style of accommodation, to the shuttle bus operated by volunteers who make sure patients too unwell to drive get to and from their appointments safety, Cancer Council SA has played a role in many country people's cancer journeys. I know my honourable colleagues have more to say on this motion, but I conclude by stating that we, the opposition, absolutely support and appreciate this motion.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (17:37): I commend the Cancer Council on its many initiatives, including Daffodil Day, and the outstanding support this organisation gives to the community. The Cancer Council is Australia's leading cancer charity, working across every area of every cancer. Whilst it is important to celebrate the achievements of our successful charitable groups, we need the government to do more. This is why I brought a motion to this council to recognise that we need an immediate review of our ineffective Patient Assistance Transport Scheme.

South Australia has one of the lowest subsidies available for patient assistance transport schemes in the nation, and is a vital scheme for those in need, including South Australians battling cancer and other deadly diseases. The fact remains that you are more likely to die from a range of preventable and treatable diseases if you live outside Adelaide, which is unacceptable. More than 13,000 South Australians received financial support last year through the scheme, highlighting how many people rely on it.

Without adequate funding the scheme will continue to exclude coverage for GPs and allied health professionals, and this results in a significant gap in healthcare services, potentially leading to missed opportunities for improved health and wellbeing outcomes. As a result, some will not access preventative health care due to the costs involved. I will continue to advocate for the expansion and improvement of the scheme to ensure accessibility, efficiency and responsiveness to the changing needs of South Australians.

The Hon. L.A. HENDERSON (17:39): I rise today in support of the honourable member's motion in acknowledging Daffodil Day and the important work the Cancer Council does in its ongoing commitment to raising funds for cancer research, increasing cancer awareness and providing support for Australians diagnosed with cancer and their families.

It is estimated that 151,000 Australians were diagnosed with cancer in 2021. That is over 400 people per day. That is 400 families who are touched by this insidious disease each and every day. Every year, approximately 3,800 South Australians lose their lives to cancer. That is 3,800 families who lose a mum, a dad, a sister, a friend, a grandparent, a child.

Sadly, we have all been touched by cancer in one way or another. Maybe it was a grandparent, maybe a parent, maybe a friend, maybe even yourself. It is estimated that over one million Australians are currently living with cancer or beyond cancer. The number of new Australian cancer cases diagnosed over the period from 2020 to 2044 is projected to total more than 4.56 million.

Around 70 per cent of people will likely survive five years after a cancer diagnosis. This is an increase from 51 per cent in the late 1980s. The number of Australians living with or beyond cancer is expected to increase by a staggering 72 per cent in the next 22 years. By 2040, 1.9 million Australians will be living with or beyond cancer.

If there is one thing that we know for sure, it is that cancer does not discriminate. The most common cancers for South Australian females in 2020 were breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. Lung cancer was the most commonly reported cancer cause of death for females in South Australia, accounting for 17.4 per cent of cancer deaths, followed by breast cancer. For South Australian males the most commonly diagnosed cancers in 2020 were prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. The most commonly reported cancer causes of death in South Australian males were lung cancer, accounting for 20 per cent of all male cancer deaths, followed by prostate cancer. These are incredibly sobering statistics that serve as a good reminder to us to us all to go get that health check-up that we have probably been putting off.

My family is not immune from cancer, having had multiple family members who are either in remission or who have sadly lost their battle with cancer. One of those people is my mum's mum, Barbra. Whilst I sadly never had the opportunity to meet my grandmother, as she lost her battle with acute myeloid leukaemia at the young age of 45, she lives on in my mum.

Last month, my mum and I had a fundraiser for the Leukaemia Foundation in honour of Barbra where we were able to fundraise over $1,000 and donated our hair to Sustainable Salons, who are part of the Ponytail Project run by the Cancer Council. This organisation distributes hair to charities and local wigmakers, where they can become wigs for people going through medically induced hair loss conditions such as alopecia and cancer, or help fund other life-changing programs. I would like to take a moment to thank the many people who have donated generously for their generosity to this very important cause.

I am sure that we have all got similar stories about the devastation and heartbreak of cancer. I, for one, am very glad that charities like the Cancer Council exist to provide ongoing support for patients, their families and ongoing medical research. Thank you for those who have taken the time to support Daffodil Day and for those who continue to support charities like the Cancer Council. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the honourable member once again for his contribution in bringing this motion to this place but also for his honesty in sharing with this place his own personal circumstances. Thank you.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (17:43): I rise today in support of the Hon. Reggie Martin's motion. As the largest non-government funding body, the Cancer Council is at the forefront of cancer research in Australia. This life-saving research can reduce the impact of cancer in many ways from early detection to improving treatment options. Daffodil Day raises money towards the Cancer Council's work in research, prevention, advocacy and support. It is also a day for communities to come together and show their support for those affected by cancer, which sadly will be one in two Australians.

Cancer, as we all know, does not discriminate. It affects individuals irrespective of age, gender or background and exacts a profound toll on the afflicted and their families. It is also important to understand that cancer can be a life sentence for many people. I know all too well that having cancer and receiving treatment does not mean that you rid yourself of cancer.

I and many others will live with this disease for the rest of our lives. Staying vigilant, and regularly testing to see that the cancer has not reappeared or spread to other parts of the body, is a crucial part of treatment and recovery. This fear of a potential recurrence is something that you will always have in the back of your mind. The fear is a constant companion that you learn to live with. Where the cancer does metastasise or reoccur, there is an overwhelming sense of grief, uncertainty and exhaustion in having to go through it all over again.

The Cancer Council is an organisation that works tirelessly to reduce the impact of cancer on individuals and communities. Cancer research and the innovations that come from it are vital. One such Australian innovation is the HPV vaccine. Since its introduction in 2006, it has significantly reduced the number of cervical cancer cases. Whilst we should recognise the pivotal work of the Cancer Council, there is always more that we can be doing to help.

Cancer is a disease that is only going to affect more and more people over time. The BMJ Oncology journal recently published a study revealing that in the last three decades there has been an 80 per cent increase worldwide in cancer diagnoses amongst individuals aged below 50 years. Organisations such as the Cancer Council often face resource limitations and competing priorities, so it is essential that we continue to actively support and fund cancer research. The more we know about cancer, the better we can prevent, diagnose and treat it. The more we know about cancer, the better chance we stand at achieving positive results for ourselves and for our loved ones.

The Hon. B.R. HOOD (17:46): I rise in support of this motion and commend the Cancer Council on their annual Daffodil Day, which has raised funds for cancer research, support and prevention programs for 37 years running. Tragically, we all know a sufferer of this heartbreaking disease which directly affects one in two of us in our lifetimes. On this year's Daffodil Day, I was pleased to drop in to the Garden of Hope in Rundle Mall to plant a daffodil in memory of my stepdad, Patrick, and my grandpa, Lindsay.

Myself and my lovely sister Lucy in the other place have spoken about Patrick and Lindsay a number of times. These two men have given me so much in my life and I am pleased to acknowledge them today. Patrick passed away in the year 2000 and Lindsay passed away in 2017. A huge thankyou also to the CEO of Cancer Council SA, Kerry Rowlands, for the important work of her charity and for supporting the families of cancer sufferers right across this state.

It would be remiss of me, while I am on my feet in support of this motion, not to take the opportunity again to raise the issue of the urgent need for radiotherapy services in the South-East. While this community anxiously awaits the completion of a feasibility study into the viability of a service, we know that hundreds of cancer sufferers in the Limestone Coast are forced to travel interstate or drive 10 hours to and from Adelaide for their brief radiation treatment.

We know from experts in the field that radiotherapy services can be safely delivered in a region like Mount Gambier. Ninety to 95 per cent of patients needing radiotherapy get their treatment as outpatients, and the likelihood of an unplanned admission requiring access to services like the ICU is extremely low. Mount Gambier already offers chemotherapy infusions, and the risk profile of this kind of systemic therapy is significantly higher than that of radiotherapy. If our local medical oncologists are already able to manage higher risk profile treatments, it stands to reason that lower risk profile treatments like radiotherapy could be delivered in a safe manner.

Studies tell us that regional, remote and rural cancer patients are 35 per cent more likely to die within five years after receiving their diagnosis, compared with their metropolitan counterparts. A lack of access to services, and the long distances required to receive treatment, are the main drivers in this disparity. I remain hopeful that this state government will utilise the $4.3 million that has been set aside to deliver this vital service in the way it was intended. I know that the 20,000 people who signed the petition on the Limestone Coast, calling on this government to provide radiotherapy services for the Limestone Coast, feel exactly the same.

I end my remarks by thanking the Cancer Council and all those who work and volunteer to improve the lives of our community members who suffer from cancer, and those who provide invaluable support to their families. I extend my heartfelt feelings to those who are going through this terrible disease and, of course, to those people who have lost loved ones to cancer as well. I thank the mover, the Hon. Reggie Martin, for his personal stories and bringing this motion to the chamber; thank you, Reggie. I commend the motion.

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (17:50): I will keep the wrap-up brief, but I would like to place on the record my thanks for the contributions from the Hon. Ms Centofanti, the Hon. Ms Game, the Hon. Ms Henderson, the Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos and the Hon. Mr Ben Hood. I think it is clear from all the contributions that everyone in this chamber has been touched at some stage by that insidious disease which is cancer. The only way out is through medical research, and that is one of the reasons why I wanted to bring this motion to the house. Daffodil Day is a great day to draw attention to the need for raising funds for this vital medical research. The Cancer Council does fantastic work in doing everything they can to prevent and fight this disease. I thank everyone in the chamber for their support for this motion.

Motion carried.

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