Afternoon tea for National Palliative Care week

Elected representatives, President of Palliative Care Queensland, Mr John Haberecht, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Kaye and I warmly welcome you to Government House on this autumn afternoon as we share a special afternoon tea to mark 2019’s National Palliative Care Week.

I would like to begin by thanking the many individuals and organisations committed to improving end of life care for many Australians.

From those working in hospices, hospitals and residential facilities, to representatives from specialist clinics and government agencies, I applaud your compassion, your dedication and resilience.

So, this year we ask - what matters most?

The answer to this question is something we often lose sight of, in the daily rush of modernity.

For myself, as I suspect for many, the things that are most important to us are often taken for granted as we contend with the squeakier wheels in our life.

But for those with a life-limiting illness the answer usually arrives with bittersweet clarity.

Our family, our friends. Our health.

Cory Taylor, the local author of Dying: A Memoir, once said that ‘maintaining silence around death and dying does not serve the interests of anyone’.

I am sure you would agree with Cory’s insight.

But for many it is, perhaps, instinctive to be shielded from conversations about our end of life wishes, or the wishes of our loved ones.

Such discussions can seem confronting. But we must continue to encourage them.

Because the raising in awareness and understanding of palliative care is vital to the wellbeing of our community.

And because access to quality end of life care is something, to be immensely grateful for.

High quality care reduces the associated pain and distress for both the terminally ill and their loved ones.

Australia’s Productivity Commission reports that, of the 160,000 Australians who die every year, up to 87 per cent could benefit from high quality palliative care.

It is statistics like these that motivate the palliative care community in Queensland - who know that dying, death and bereavement are an inevitable part of the human journey, and one we must all keep talking about.

I thank each of you for your continued contribution and look forward to your company this afternoon.