Wednesday, 31 July 2024

 Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:47): As of today, over 12,000 Victorian women and girls have submitted their lived experience to Victoria’s nation-leading women’s pain inquiry, and that is a staggering number. That is 12,000 Victorian women and girls who have had their pain overlooked, underdiagnosed, dismissed and even ignored, 12,000 women and girls who have been told that their pain – for some, debilitating, life-altering pain – was normal, was routine or was all in their head. It is 12,000 women and girls who deserve their health to be taken seriously at home, at work and especially when seeking professional care and support. We also know that four in 10 Victorian women live with chronic pain and one in three have a condition that affects their ability to go to work. Every woman in this house, every woman across Victoria, has either experienced chronic pain or knows someone who has.

I want to thank these 12,000 women who have shared their story – their personal story, their important story – with us. It is not just their story; it is their life. Their contribution will help improve the lives and outcomes of thousands and thousands of women across the state as it is such a central and important part of the women’s pain inquiry that is being led by the Minister for Health. Also can I acknowledge the Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Health, who is leading this work as well. This is important work for women across the state, because if you are in chronic pain and you cannot go to work, it is holding you back. If you are in chronic pain and you cannot care for those you love around you, that is holding you back in your family life. Women deserve better, which is why we are holding this women’s pain inquiry, and I want to thank again those women and girls who have shared their experiences. It will make a difference.