Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Adjournment

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (21:34): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Radio Lollipop at Monash Children’s Hospital

John BERGER (Southern Metropolitan) (21:35): (498) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health in the other place, Minister Thomas. It is with great pleasure that I share with you the Allan Labor government’s commitment of $150,000 for Radio Lollipop at Monash Children’s Hospital. This is thanks to the 2023–24 budget earlier this year. My electorate of Southern Metro Melbourne is extremely fortunate to have access to one of Victoria’s largest public health services here. Monash has been caring for children for more than 100 years and is one of Australia’s leading children’s hospitals. It is an asset.

Radio Lollipop first began at Queen Mary’s Hospital in England. It was so successful that it established itself as a national charity and expanded to America, Australia and New Zealand. Children, families and healthcare professionals in my community of Southern Metro benefit from Lollipop. These children are bravely battling illnesses while in the hospital’s experienced care – comfort, play and entertainment through a broadcast radio studio. The broadcast radio studio is part of an armoury of activities in the ‘toy box’, providing a unique child-oriented program of interactive competitions, music, stories and games. With Lollipop they can request their favourite songs, win prizes and hear their voices on radio. These activities give young patients a voice and something just as important – choice. While their stay in hospital can be strange, different and scary, Radio Lollipop helps provide a sense of normality in the hospital. The service to children is provided entirely by volunteers who have been specially selected and trained to make a child’s stay in the hospital more fun and less frightening. Staff, volunteers and supporters of Lollipop bring joy and relief to the young patients of Southern Metro.

As a father of six children and a husband, father, son and brother of a nurse, our health system is near and dear to me. I am proud to be a member of an Allan Labor government that gets that, and that is why today I want to thank the hundreds of volunteers that make this service possible and keep our children smiling. That is why my adjournment to the minister is this: can the minister visit my community in Southern Metro and the Monash Children’s Hospital to speak to the many volunteers at Radio Lollipop and join me in thanking them for their work and listening to how we can best support their work.