Page 2449 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 1993
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Mr Berry then proceeded to attack the Opposition for playing politics. That is not on. Let us have a look at the facts. The Cancer Society and people who know about these things expect a 50 per cent increase from 52,000 in 1985 to 78,000 in 2001 in the number of people with cancer. Every State and Territory in Australia - these are the facts - has a registry, except the ACT. Mr Berry and others say, "Yes, but we have to make sure that we get it right, and we are concerned about privacy". So you should be. But it has been got right by every other State and Territory in this country and in other countries. There is a wealth of experience to learn from to get it right. Eventually, whether it takes eight months or eight years or 10 years, Mr Berry reckons that he is going to get it right. Instead of spending $100,000 for abortion clinics in the city, Mr Berry, perhaps you might spend $50,000 for a cancer registry. That is one alternative, Mr Berry, for you to take on board.
The latest published figures for the ACT cover the period from 1978 to 1982. In other words, the latest statistics available for the ACT are 10 years old. That is another reason why we ought to be thinking about a cancer registry. The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures that Mrs Grassby was talking about related to death only, not the incidence of cancer. We know how many people die of cancer, but we do not know how many people actually have it.
Mr Berry: There will be one, but it will not be tomorrow.
MR DE DOMENICO: How can you plan for treatment and education without accurate records? Whether we are talking about cancer registries or anything else, if you are talking about education programs without accurate records you cannot do the job right. How can you become aware of trends? We cannot, because we do not have a cancer registry.
Two-thirds of Canberra's female deaths in the 55- to 64-year age group are due to cancer.
Mrs Grassby: There you are - old age.
MR DE DOMENICO: I will take that interjection on board. Mrs Grassby talks of old age. Mrs Grassby, we are talking about the detection of cancer in more than people of an old age.
Mr Berry: Take my interjection on board. We can and we do look at trends.
MR DE DOMENICO: Let me say that you do not. Members of both the AMA - people who, I suggest, know about these sorts of things more than you and I do - and the ACT Cancer Society believe that you are wrong. We tend to agree with the experts that you say you take advice from. We will take the advice of the same experts. We agree with them. You are wrong.
Comprehensive cancer registration in the ACT would provide the data to facilitate the accumulation of information on trends, provide a basis for the provision of cancer related health and support services, enable the monitoring of community cancer prevention measures, provide for epidemiological research on the causes of cancer and yield information to enhance cancer education amongst the public.
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