Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (20:50): My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and the action is confirmation of funding for the Epilepsy Foundation. As we approach International Epilepsy Day on Monday, 10 February, I would really like to acknowledge the great work undertaken by the Epilepsy Foundation in supporting the 60 000 people living with epilepsy in Victoria.
I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge that, had it not been for the Epilepsy Foundation, I do not think medicinal cannabis would be where it is in Australia. Their work and their advocacy in that area have been simply brilliant.
I would also like to acknowledge the Epilepsy Smart Schools program developed by the Epilepsy Foundation. This is a world’s best practice program that is now being delivered across Australia by the Epilepsy Foundation’s partner organisations and is a wonderful example of a Victorian organisation leading the way.
At this stage there is no funding or support agreement in place past the end of this financial year for the Epilepsy Foundation’s programs. This is a cause, not surprisingly, of great uncertainty to the community of Victorians living with epilepsy. I urge the minister to confirm that the Victorian government will continue to provide funding for the Epilepsy Foundation’s programs in the next financial year.