ME/CFS South Australia Inc: The MCS Report Clock - Our politicians are working for us

ME/CFS SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC

Registered Charity 3104

Email:
sacfs@sacfs.asn.au

Mailing address:
PO Box 322,
Modbury North,
South Australia 5092

Phone:
1300 128 339

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday,
10am - 4pm
(phone)

ME/CFS South Australia Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.

ME/CFS South Australia Inc aims to keep members informed of various research projects, diets, medications, therapies, news items, etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.

Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.

Our politicians are working for us

Friday June 9, 2006

It’s heartening to see that the politicians who have supported us during and after the Inquiry into MCS have keep on the case.

Here’s a question asked in the Legislative Council on June 5:

MULTICHEMICAL SENSITIVITY

The Hon. A.L. EVANS: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Environment and Conservation, representing the Minister for Health, a question concerning multichemical sensitivity.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. EVANS: On 5 July 2005 the report of the Social Development Committee Inquiry into Multiple Chemical Sensitivity was tabled in the Legislative Council. The inquiry found that up to 6 per cent of the population may have MCS and concluded that MCS is very real and that many individuals experience considerable suffering, particularly in the light of lack of recognition surrounding this condition. In its response to the report tabled in November 2005, the government indicated that it fully agreed, or agreed in principle, with 10 of the 11 recommendations arising from the inquiry. Despite this, no practical action has been taken by the government to assist people with MCS, or to address this growing public health problem since. My questions to the Minister for Health are:

When will the Department of Health convene the recommended multichemical sensitivity reference group?
Will the MCS reference group be resourced with a full-time officer to ensure that real progress is made?
Will key groups in the community, such as the SA Task Force on Multichemical Sensitivity and the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society of South Australia, be represented in the reference group?
Which government agencies will be represented in the MCS reference group?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister Assisting the Minister for Health): I will refer the honourable member’s questions to the Minister for Health in another place and bring back a reply.