Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Ministers statements: women’s health

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:09): I rise to update the house on the Allan Labor government’s inquiry into women’s pain, which is putting women’s voices at the heart of our work to bridge the gender pain gap. For too long and too often women’s experiences of pain have been dismissed, ignored and underdiagnosed. Well, we have been listening. Right now I can report that more than 12,000 responses to our pain survey have been received from the women and girls of Victoria, and I have had the pleasure of joining hundreds more women and girls right across our state. I want to call out the hardworking member for Northcote, the Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Health, for all the work that she has done in leading women’s forums right across the state.

From Eltham to Narre Warren South, Mordialloc to Yan Yean and indeed in my own electorate of Macedon, women have come forward telling their stories. Women have told us about persistent migraines, debilitating endometriosis, pain associated with menstruation, arthritis and conditions like lipoedema. We have heard of the impact of sexism, bias and a lack of knowledge about women’s health, our bodies and our health concerns. Across generations, across cultures, across socio-economic backgrounds we have heard the stories. They are as diverse as the women of Victoria themselves. But on this point, women have been united: they need to be listened to, they need to be heard and they want to see action taken.

I can assure the women and girls of Victoria that with this inquiry into women’s pain we are looking to change the way in which women’s health care is delivered in this state forever and for good. The inquiry closes today. The survey closes today, and I want to take this final opportunity to encourage those women and girls, including everyone in this place, to make a contribution to this important survey.