Page 4238 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 21 September 2010
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function gives an opportunity for those who are suffering from blood cancers, those who are supporting the Leukaemia Foundation and people with blood cancers, or those there in memory of someone, to go and light a balloon in memory and in support of the Leukaemia Foundation and individual suffering.
If you look at the statistics, certainly a lot of people are suffering. In Australia, the statistics tell us that every hour of every day someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every two hours someone in Australia will lose their life to a blood cancer. In Canberra, about 200 people are diagnosed every year.
The event was an important one for the people that are involved with the Leukaemia Foundation. I would like to thank not only the people that attended but also the people who tirelessly toil in our health system—the medical staff, the nurses, the doctors and the other professionals, and the researchers. Dr Anna Johnson was there on the night. Government can only do so much. Without organisations like the Leukaemia Foundation, there is no doubt that there would be individuals and families who would miss out on much-needed support. The Leukaemia Foundation is currently supporting over 350 people from our local region. I would like to congratulate them on all that they do.
The money raised on the night will make a real difference in people’s lives—for people who are suffering from blood diseases or caring for someone. It will also help the foundation in the much-needed research work that they do.
The night culminated in a walk, where everyone with their balloons walked around Glebe Park. It was very moving. I had the opportunity to speak to people carrying gold balloons, who were there in memory of someone; people carrying white balloons, who were suffering from a disease; and fellow supporters, as I was, with blue balloons. It was a great night. I thank the Leukaemia Foundation. I am yet to confirm that I will be shaving my head next year. I am in some sort of conflict about that one, I have to say. It would not be a pretty sight.
I would like to move to some other items. I would like to echo Mr Seselja’s comments about the tour that was conducted with ACT Policing and echo what he said about what a difficult job police do and what a magnificent job ACT police do.
In the last week I went to two events for the Battle of Britain. For those that do not know, it is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this week—a momentous battle that turned the course of history, one might say. There was an event at the War Memorial, and there was also a service on Sunday, which I attended. I would like to thank Air Marshal David Evans and Air Commodore Peter McDermott for their involvement and for putting on those events.
I would like to thank the Inner South Community Council. They had an event last week, a meeting, which was their first proper public meeting. It was very well attended. I would like to pay special tribute to a couple of people that attended—Neil Savery and Gary Rake, one representing the NCA and one the ACT government. They faced a lot of questions, and they did so very well. People do get emotional; people do get particularly concerned about developments that are occurring in their areas. They both handled it very well.
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