Virtual Address, 2022 Teal Ribbon Parliamentary Breakfast
9 February 2022
Prime Minister: Well, thank you very much, [Jane]. Can I begin before addressing some remarks personally to you Amy, and to you Professor DeFazio.
Can I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, their Elders past and present and emerging. Can I acknowledge service women and men and veterans who have given this country everything we could hope for.
Can I acknowledge the others who are joining us today. My colleague Greg Hunt, who has been a champion for the cause of ovarian cancer and has been very much in the fight with you, as I have sought to be on every occasion. But particularly I want to acknowledge all women living with ovarian cancer. Their survivors, the survivors of ovarian cancer. Can I acknowledge their carers, the nurses, their family members, and those who have been with us before and are no longer with us.
Jane, you are a an absolute trooper in this fight. I want to thank you and, for your welcome, and congratulations on your appointment of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition. To Marina Go for her work as Chair, and Meghan Speers, her successor. Meghan is a survivor. A diagnosis at age 29 and giving back to Ovarian Cancer Australia for a decade.
Amy, words cannot express the impact of what you've just said has had on me. I make it, I I look forward in so many ways to being part of this each year. And I'm sorry we can't be doing it in person, so we can't meet in person today.
This is a day, as you say, of hope. It's a day of strength. It's a day of courage. And I have seen that every year at these gatherings. And your story today was so impactful and the appeal that you've made, so heartfelt and so practical. Can I thank you also for the tremendous work you do in the Government, and particularly at that time that you were reflecting upon.
Thank you for your story. I can't imagine how proud your three boys must be, as you are of them, no doubt. And of course, your husband. They might not grasp it yet, but I suspect they do. And in time, I understand that they will see your strength and it'll inspire them each and every day. But the one thing that came across probably more than anything in what you had to say this morning is you have an indomitable love. And that was my major take out. We're willing you on, Amy, and we're in this fight with you, and I want to assure you of that.
And there is hope, because last year at this breakfast I met Caitlin and her eldest daughter, Lilith, and like Amy who spoke today, Caitlin is an extraordinarily strong and inspirational individual. And I was so pleased to hear that Caitlin has just passed five years post-diagnosis, and I'm looking forward to that same message from you, Amy.
And so my message to women with ovarian cancer is, you are not alone. You've got an incredible team at Ovarian Cancer Australia committed to supporting you every way they can. You have a dedicated teal nurse who's always on the line, as you said, Amy. You've got friends, you've got family, you've got colleagues and an Australian community out there raising funds and giving generously and seeking to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.
And we think of the many other cancers, particularly that impact on women, and we think of the tremendous work that has been done there, like organisations like Ovarian Cancer Australia. And I've worked with many of those and seen the success that they have had in raising awareness. And you’re on the same path and doing it so incredibly well.
My Government is prioritising this cancer and we have for many years. We are investing in improving early detection, treatment options and survival rates. We want to get those rates up and we will continue to do everything we possibly can to be all the way in on this fight. That is my commitment.
And there are reasons for optimism. There's certainly a lot of hope in the new drug Zejula - Greg Hunt always pronounces these things better than I can - approved by the TGA just last month. It's not only for women with the BRCA gene mutation, but will be an option for all women with high grade ovarian cancer. And should the experts on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommend its listing on the PBS, we will not hesitate. We will not blink, just like we did with the expansion of Lynparza.
And I can back this up because it has been the policy of my Government that every time they recommend something go on the PBS, we do it, and we do it without hesitation. Since the last election alone, 857 drugs, new drugs, have been put on the PBS. So I can assure you as soon as we get that recommendation, we'll be all over it.
On the MBS we've made some welcome changes, and I want to thank [Jane] and Professor DeFazio for acknowledging those, and they’re welcome changes effective next month - better aligning gynaecology services with contemporary and evidence-based treatment.
Since 2019, we've invested in the Teal Support Program, and it's just so pleasing to see the impact that is having on individuals who are living with ovarian cancer. The Teal Support Program provides free, dedicated support for women with ovarian cancer and their families through an ovarian cancer nurse consultant who supports them through each and every stage of their ovarian cancer journey, starting from diagnosis to post-treatment.
Our Government has been proud to fund it and I'm pleased to announce today we're going to keep doing that - a further $2 million in funding over the next two years. The Teal Support Program has grown rapidly since it commenced in 2019, and it currently supports 420 women, and it's expected to grow to over 700. And because it's a free telehealth service, there are no barriers to support, and I look forward to continuing our support for this program well into the future.
I know the pandemic has interfered with so many normal routines, regular check-ups are so important. My wife, Jenny, who trained as a nurse herself, is passionate about this, and I know that ovarian cancer is a terribly hard cancer to detect, and I want to thank all those researchers, like you Professor DeFazio, who are out there doing the work not only just to develop treatments, but also to develop new testing systems that can make such a difference. The signs in relation to these are vague, they’re subtle, and early detection is rare.
So I'm very pleased to be with you today. I very much appreciate the opportunity to come along and hear these stories. I can assure you it impacts me deeply. It's a day of hope, Amy. It is, and I want to give you that encouragement and that hope. And Ovarian Cancer Australia is on a mission of hope, and together I have no doubt that the partnership that we have formed that runs deep will keep making progress. And Amy, we will prevail, and you will prevail. And that is my prayer for you and your family. Thank you for your attention.
