Parliament of Victoria | Legislative Council | Adjournment
29 July 2026
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan Region):
The last week of July is National Pain Week. Around 3.5 million Australians suffer chronic pain. That is one in seven people, and chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in Australia. The campaign seeks to raise awareness, reduce stigma, advocate for better access to care and highlight the human and economic costs of chronic pain.
Chronic pain is not that ‘I’ve got a headache’ feeling; it is a complex neurological condition that persists for an extended period and often continues even after the original injury or illness has healed. Along with a number of other members and staff in this Parliament I have experienced such pain. In my case it is two lots of spinal surgery in the last three years.
Chronic pain is debilitating, it is exhausting and it is utterly demoralising. Many Legalise Cannabis members and supporters suffer from such pain, and access to cannabis and/or mainstream pharmaceuticals is a critical question in maintaining quality of life. To me it is a profound regret that in this Parliament we have made such little progress in addressing the situation of chronic pain sufferers.
Whether it be through access to mainstream pharmaceuticals or cannabis, whether it be in the workplace through random drug testing or whether it be access to the roads, let us hope that this next Parliament can do better.
[Ends]
