Parliamentary Friends of Asthma Group
The Group was founded in 1999 by the National Asthma Council Australia and, has since then served as an excellent vehicle for Members and Senators of the Australian Parliament to meet representatives of the two national asthma organisations and to be briefed about the latest developments in asthma and its effect on the Australian community.
The group aims to raise awareness of the issues of people living with Asthma whilst at the same time considering strategies to assist Australians with asthma and their families.
Like all Parliamentary friendship groups, the Parliamentary Friends of Asthma group has to be reformed after each Federal election. The current Parliamentary convenors are:
- Mr Tony Pasin, MP, Member for Barker, SA, LP – Co-Convenor
- Dr Mike Freelander, MP, Member for Macarthur, NSW, ALP - Co-Convenor
On June 27, 2018, the National Asthma Council and Asthma Australia co-hosted a luncheon at Parliament House, Canberra for a number of Members of Parliament, Senators and their advisors as well as representatives of the National Asthma Council Australia, Asthma Australia, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
We heard renewed commitment from our politicians, with the Minister for Health, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP announcing the additional funding of $8 million to support National Asthma Council's Asthma and Respiratory Education Program as well as Asthma Australia's Asthma Child and Adolescent Training Program and Community Support Program.
The Minister's press release can be viewed here.
(L-R) The Hon David Simmons OAM, Dr Joanna Wriedt, Dr Mike Freelander MP, Dr Jonathan Burdon AM, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, Ms Siobhan Brophy, Mr Tony Passin MP, Ms Michele Goldman.