By Roy Weavers

Cook MP Jason O’Brien says a meeting he arranged for yesterday’s Community Cabinet in Innisfail between Premier Anna Bligh and Mossman-Port Douglas breast cancer support group Pink in the Tropics had been constructive.

“It took us a step further along the road to easing the financial and emotional burden on people in the Far North who have to travel to get medical treatment,” he said.

“It was a very positive meeting, and Pink in the Tropics got a good reception from the Premier.

"Pink in the Tropics’ arguments on State Government’s Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme are helping us change the way we look after people who have to travel for medical treatment.

“I will continue to support Pink in the Tropics in any way I can, and I hope this takes them another step forward.”

Pink in the Tropics is leading a statewide campaign for an increase in the State Government’s Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme accommodation allowance.
The scheme, which is administered by individual public hospitals, helps Queenslander's get specialist medical services that are not available in their local area by subsidising the cost of transport and accommodation.

Mr O’Brien said the Bligh Government’s first priority was to reduce the need to travel. “Treatment as close to home, family and friends as possible is most important,” he said. “That is why our first priority is to build an oncology unit in Cairns.

“Our second priority is to have purpose-built accommodation available, which is why we have allocated $200,000 in seed funding to the Red Cross and the Cancer Council for accommodation for patients traveling to Cairns for treatment.”

An increase in the subsidy for people who cannot get into this accommodation would be in line with other steps the Bligh Government is taking to help patients. The Government is streamlining its PTSS processes, and Mr O’Brien is sponsoring a Pink in the Tropics petition calling for the allowance to be increased. The subsidy of $30 a night for meals and accommodation has not been increased in 21 years.

“It is inadequate in this day and age,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It needs to be increased and I am very happy to be able to support the petition.

“People in Mossman and Port Douglas, and of course other rural and remote communities, regularly have to travel for treatment and they often find it very difficult financially, on top of the understandable distress they go through.

“It is a very personal matter for me, as my mother died from breast cancer, and she had to travel to Sydney to get radium treatment and support from her family there."

“So I do know myself how much of a help any increase in the subsidy would be right across rural Queensland if there is a need to travel and if accommodation is not available.”

The e-petition, entitled The need to increase the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme accommodation allowance can be found at: www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/EPetitions_QLD/CurrentEPetitions.aspx?LIndex=1

To learn more about Pink in the Tropics, visit their website on www.pinkinthetropics.org