Page 3396 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 21 October 2014
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Moreover the project will show the community that we are not prepared to let our public transport system go backwards. This government has the courage and vision to plan for the future needs and aspirations of Canberra, and that is not about dampening expectations or subduing hopes.
Discussion concluded.
Adjournment
Motion by Ms Burch proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Alzheimer’s Australia ACT
MR DOSZPOT (Molonglo) (4.29): As shadow minister for ageing, I had the opportunity last Sunday to attend a benefit dinner for Alzheimer’s Australia ACT at the Ainslie football club. At the dinner, special guest speaker Ita Buttrose AO, OBE, a former national president of Alzheimer’s Australia and 2013Australian of the year, highlighted the growing epidemic of dementia within Australia and gave some very insightful and emotional observations on her personal family experience in coming to terms with dementia.
Recent research undertaken by Alzheimer’s Australia has provided some alarming statistics on dementia. Here are some examples: there are more than 332,000 Australians living with dementia, and without a medical breakthrough this will increase to almost 900,000 by 2050. There are around 25,000 people with younger onset dementia, some as young as 30. Approximately 4,000 ACT residents now live with dementia. This is forecast to more than double by 2020. Eighty-nine per cent of adults aged 40 to 65 know someone with dementia. Dementia is the single greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 years or older and the third leading cause of disability burden overall. If we could delay the onset of the disease by just five years we would halve the number of people with dementia between 2000 and 2040.
Alzheimer’s ACT is a great charity organisation that is striving to educate and promote the issues and effects associated with dementia. I would like to congratulate the vice-president of Alzheimer’s ACT, Mr Greg Fraser, and the CEO, Mrs Jane Allen, and their board and fundraising committee for this great fundraising event that both highlighted their activities to over 200 people and raised over $30,000 in much-needed funds.
The national president of Alzheimer’s Australia, Mr Graeme Samuel AC, in a recent newsletter highlighted two additional priorities that he would like to tackle during his tenure as national president: increasing investment in dementia research and reducing the stigma attached to dementia. Mr Samuel stated:
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