Page 1592 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 19 May 1993
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Madam Speaker, it could be thought that figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics would be of assistance. But, in addition to the deficient records forwarded by the New South Wales cancer registry, the ABS records only death from cancer in the ACT. Incidence statistics are far more accurate than mortality figures, and far more useful, because incidence records record those who have or have had particular types of cancer, even when people have recovered or when the cancer has not been recorded as the final cause of death. That is very important, because regularly people die of some other cause, not cancer. Thereby, we would get a substantially more accurate figure.
Both the ACT Cancer Council and the ACT Australian Medical Association support the move for a cancer registry in the ACT. The ACT AMA has indicated that, whilst some individual doctors may see mandatory reporting as bureaucratic interference and an invasion of privacy, the ACT AMA as a body would welcome the introduction of legislation to make the reporting of cancer mandatory. In fact, reporting would be an important step forward in the ACT, according to the AMA. It should be remembered that reporting would not include necessarily the full names and addresses of the people involved. Privacy would definitely be taken into account. We would be looking only at the incidence related statistical data. We would not be looking at making any sorts of inroads into the privacy of individuals. The ACT Cancer Council believe that without such a registry we are really working in the dark.
I think it is important to talk about the national perspective in this area as well. As I am sure the Minister would be aware, in 1986 the Australian Institute of Health - the AIH - in collaboration with the Australian Association of Cancer Registries, of which the ACT is not a member for obvious reasons, appointed or moved to establish the national cancer statistics clearing house. That means that since 1986 we have been moving as a nation, to quote the specific objectives of the national cancer statistics clearing house, to enable compilation and publication of national statistics on cancer; to allow tracking of interstate movements of cancer cases - and that is to see whether cancer is any worse in some places than in other places; to facilitate the conduct of epidemiological studies; to promote standardisation in the collection of cancer data and the classifications of cancer; to promote Australian participation in international collaborative projects; and to link cancer case information with the national death index. All of those things are exceedingly important if we are going to look at health in Australia on any sort of national, let alone international, base. The ACT is the only part of Australia that is not part of that overall national approach.
Madam Speaker, a comprehensive reporting and registration approach in the ACT is essential. I therefore have moved that this Assembly urge the Government to act as a matter of urgency to establish an independent cancer registry which will be used to facilitate the compilation of accurate and complete records of cancer incidence in the ACT; to provide the data to facilitate the accumulation of information on trends; to establish a basis upon which the provision of cancer related health and support services can be planned; to enable the monitoring of community cancer prevention measures; to provide data for epidemiological research on the causes of cancer and produce information to enhance cancer education amongst the public; and to enable accurate forward planning with regard to health service requirements in the ACT in the area of cancer.
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