CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS
Dr GARLAND (Chisholm) (16:56): Count ME is Emerge Australia's campaign to make sure the community they represent is counted. Emerge's community consists of those impacted by ME/CFS, long COVID and overlapping energy-limiting conditions. Being counted matters.
It's the difference between a condition the health system plans for and one it overlooks. It's the difference between research that gets funded and research that doesn't happen. It's the difference between a person whose experience is believed and one who has to fight to be taken seriously.
Many Australians might be surprised to learn that more than 600,000 Australians are impacted by energy-limiting conditions each year. The Count ME initiative is all about this community being seen and being counted—counted in the data, counted in the health system and counted in the decisions that affect the community's lives. I recently had the privilege to meet with Anne Wilson, CEO of Emerge Australia, along with Jenny Meagher and Pete McCluskey.
This was an opportunity to discuss their great work and their very important advocacy. It is really important that research and modern treatments are able to be accessed by people with energy-limiting conditions, and I will continue to support the group in their advocacy efforts. I want to thank Anne, Jenny and Pete for the generosity of their time and for educating me on the issues that matter to them.
Australia is a proudly multicultural nation and one of the greatest privileges of being a local member of parliament is to attend citizenship ceremonies in the community. It's an honour to be part of the very special occasion where people make their commitment to our great nation and to all of the values that we hold dear. Whether it be a ceremony in Boroondara, Monash, Stonnington or Whitehorse, I see the shared care and contribution to community from new citizens.
The journey is different for all of those who come to Australia. Some journeys are longer than others, but the commitment everyone has to making that pledge to this nation is defining. We have one of the strongest democracies in the world in one of the most successful multicultural nations on earth.
The person-to-person connections made possible both within Australia and other nations because of our diverse population strengthen our own nation. We share with our neighbours in Australia, and it is a privilege to be included in many different cultural events and celebrations in Chisholm. I know that new citizens share their cultures with those around them, and these relationships are so generous and so important for ensuring that we can learn from one another.
I congratulate all of those who have recently become citizens in Chisholm, and I look forward to attending future ceremonies in the electorate.