Thank you very much Petra. Lucy and I are delighted to be here again and I want to encourage everybody to be as generous as they can.
We are here inspired by Jane McGrath. Her vision, her inspiration, the commitment that Glenn and Sara and their children, James and Holly and Madison - for whom Glenn is the ultimate baby whisperer I want to say - he has been doing a brilliant job. And why we are here, inspired by that vision of bringing great nursing, great personal attention to women right across Australia with breast cancer and especially in regional Australia.
There are 117 Breast Care Nurses and 75 per cent of them, like Marie, are in regional Australia.
I was with Petra not so long ago, just down in Hobart at Breast Screen, there in Hobart, and we announced our re-commitment of a further $20.5 million to support 57 Breast Care Nurses over the next five years. That’s the Commonwealth Government’s continuing commitment.
The commitment of both federal and state governments is substantial as evidenced by the presence of my friend and colleague Peter Dutton, who is here with wife Kirilly, and of course, Jillian Skinner, the New South Wales Health Minister is also with us.
But can I say to you that governments can make very substantial donations and contributions and funding for health, as they do, in the sum of tens and tens of billions of dollars. But you know, the dollars that the police are giving today from their pay, the dollars that kids are putting into the buckets here today, the dollars that people are putting through the website based on the link that they’re seeing on the television today – all of this comes with their love. That is the critical importance of your generosity.
The McGrath Foundation is love made practical, made real. It is Jane McGrath’s love carried forward by her family, carried forward by the Foundation, carried forward by the Breast Care Nurses and above all, all of you, the volunteers and the supporters, big companies, wealthy people, kids making donations of their savings. But the thread that ties all that together is your love and your passion.
And I want to ask everybody to share that love here at the Pink Test. Whether you are at home or here at the cricket, this is a time to make that commitment, show that love and support for these wonderful Breast Care Nurses. We want more of them.
As Petra has described, if the funding is available, then there will be more breast care nurses.
Another seven, Petra, that’s a great achievement. I know you’ve got a fantastic team at the Foundation, with the Chair, John Conde, the passion, the vision of the McGrath family, great professionals, great commitment, but above all great love.
So, Lucy and I are delighted to be in the pink here today, delighted to be here in the pink but above all urging all of us to be generous and show our support for the extraordinary work of the McGrath Foundation and those wonderful Breast Care Nurses right across Australia.
Thank you very much and have a great day.