ADJOURNMENT
Senator POLLEY (Tasmania) (19:29): Once again I'm speaking about dementia and the impact that it has on the Australian community. Tomorrow we have an event here. As the co-chair of Parliamentary Friends of Dementia, I want to encourage senators and members of that other place to come along from 10 o'clock tomorrow to understand and to talk about dementia and the impact it's having on our Australian community.
Dementia does not discriminate on political party lines. It does not discriminate on age. It does not discriminate on your postcode.
But what we need to do is we need to talk about dementia. We need to have the conversations around dementia. I don't know if anyone here watched Spotlight on Sunday night.
It was about childhood dementia, and it was absolutely devastating to see the impact that it has on those children who were healthy, everyday kids who were learning to walk and talk, tie their shoelaces and ride a bike and who then regress backwards. It's a devastating disease. The early impact of dementia has a devastating effect.
It actually affects our economy. It does. Not only does the person that has been diagnosed but ultimately their partner or their carer will have to give up work.
It has an enormous impact not only on the individual and their carer and their family but on their communities. It is now the biggest killer in this country of men and women. That's how significant it is.
Tomorrow we want to highlight the need to talk about dementia. We have somebody who's been diagnosed and is on that journey. We're also bringing in general practitioners because it is about brain health.
It's about ensuring that you do everything you can from the earliest age to make sure that you eat well, that you exercise and that you get the sleep that you need. This is an amazing opportunity. We have come so far in the time that I have been the co-chair, but there is so much more to do.
Can I say the research that is happening in Australia, whether it's the Queensland Brain Institute or whether it's The Florey in Melbourne, we are on the cusp of some very exciting advances. Early diagnosis is so important. As someone whose family has been directly impacted, I can tell you it is devastating to the family.
I encourage people to come along tomorrow to the Dame Dorothy Tangney Alcove up on the second floor from 10 o'clock onwards. You will be enlightened. We're going to have a panel.
The other exciting news that's happened in this place today is that the Parliamentary Friends of the Tasmanian Devils has been launched in this place. Julie Collins and Richard Colbeck, our colleague here in this place, are the co-chairs. Finally, after the Tasmanian football elite, who have been holding up the AFL and the VFL for decade after decade, will have our own team taking the field in 2028.
When I was in high school, I campaigned for the girls to be able play the boys in high school football, so you know what is the really exciting news for the women that are in this chamber? It will be the first AFL team that will actually have a men's and women's team entering at the same time. That is really, really significant.
I'm very proud of what we will embark to do, and I want to congratulate those that are part of organising for this campaign. It hasn't been without controversy in Tasmania, obviously, over the new stadium and what that means for Tasmanians. But the reality is that football, basketball, netball—whatever sport it is—is a great leveller and that those who are participating at the elite level are great role models.
It is a gateway for many kids to aspire to do better than those in their family that have come before. So it's fantastic news. I want you to get behind the Tasmanian Devils.
I still am a Richmond fan. I can't get the Tigers out of my heart, but I'm there every day with them Tassie Devils. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Sterle ): You saved me from talking about the expiration of your Richmond membership.
Anyway, your time has expired.