Andrew Leigh

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 21 OCTOBER 2019

Kat Jeffress and her family used to have a dog called Banting, named after Frederick Banting, inventor of insulin. One night, Banting jumped up on Kat's bed, waking her up. Kat realised one of her children's glucose alarms was going off. Like its namesake, Banting had saved the life of Kat's son, Ethan. Kat and husband Stuart have three children: Amy, Ethan and Mia, and the youngest two have type 1 diabetes. Ethan and Mia showed me their small fingertips, each marked with dozens of pinpricks. They showed me their continuous glucose monitors and talked about how good it would be if in the future the monitors could connect with insulin pumps and make injections easier.

Labor has a strong commitment to addressing type 1 diabetes through better funding for research and devices. Unfortunately, it's been nearly eight months since the Morrison government promised Australia's 120,000 type one diabetics that they would have access to the Flash glucose monitor on the National Diabetes Services Scheme. The monitor gives diabetics a choice in how they read and monitor their glucose, but without a listing many diabetics can't afford it. Alongside research, Australia's diabetics need access to new technology to help manage their condition.

Ethan and Mia Jeffress are amazing people who deserve as bright as future as any young Australian. My thanks to JDRF and it's campaign team, including Mel and James Eveille, for their valuable work.

ENDS

Authorised by  Paul Erickson, ALP, Canberra.