Tuesday, 23 May 2023

Ministers statements: Victorian Cancer Plan

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Medical Research) (12:34): I rise to update the house on how the Andrews Labor government is doing what matters to improve the care and transition of Victorians living with cancer. Our government’s Victorian Cancer Plan sets the ambitious goal of saving 10,000 lives by 2025. To achieve this we are working to strengthen cancer research, diagnosis and care across our state.

Many Victorians have been impacted by cancer and, sadly, an estimated 750 Australian families will get the devastating news this year that their child has been diagnosed with cancer. Today indeed we remember our friend Jaala Pulford and her beautiful daughter Sinead, who lost her life to cancer. Our government is committed to doing more to save young lives, and that is why we are going to deliver $35 million for the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium to develop new therapies and long-term management strategies for the youngest cancer patients. To make sure that more Victorians can access advanced diagnostics closer to home, we have also committed to delivering eight new PET scanners.

But we also recognise that people’s experience of cancer is different, and we know that cancer mortality rates are significantly higher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is unacceptable, and that is why I am proud that our government is partnering with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to deliver the self-determined Victorian Aboriginal Cancer Journey Strategy, making sure that Aboriginal Victorians can access culturally safe cancer care. I look forward to launching this strategy tomorrow with VACCHO. By investing in innovation infrastructure and supporting our world-class health care and medical research, our government remains focused on delivering the very best cancer care for all Victorians, no matter where they live.

Sam Groth: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, question 57, for the Minister for Education, was due on 24 March. On 5 April the Speaker wrote to the minister, and I also raised this as a point of order on 2 May. There is still no response from the minister. There are still the issues at Dromana college. There are still the issues with education on the peninsula. Can you please direct the minister to answer the question, after three months.

Annabelle Cleeland: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I am also two months overdue. The questions overdue are 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260 and 261. Thank you for playing along, and please reiterate the urgency of all of these questions.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I will pass them to the Speaker.