A message from the CEO

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome Tara Moss as another stellar addition to our Pain Champions. An award-winning author, documentary producer, host and advocate, we are delighted to have Tara lend her considerable celebrity status towards improving the quality of life of people living with pain, their families and carers.

Tara was welcomed to the Painaustralia family at an event held by the Governor General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Mrs Hurley, to formally launch Painaustralia’s Parliamentary Friends of Pain Management Group.

Tara joins Painaustralia’s Patron, Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK, AFC (Ret’d) and an outstanding group of Pain Champions including Veteran and Invictus Games competitor, Peter Rudland, seven-time Paralympian and NSW MP, Liesl Tesch AM and ABC Medical Reporter Sophie Scott. We are tremendously grateful to have the support of such exceptional Australians, whose incredible reach and influence will undoubtedly benefit the 3.4 million people living with chronic pain.

We are continuing to progress work on the Communication and Awareness Project with the first meeting of the Reference Group. Our policy team has also been busy responding to another Royal Commission into National Disaster Arrangements, as well as national consultation on the Preventive Health Strategy and the Medical Research Future Fund.

This month has also seen the late, but much anticipated release of the 2020–21 Budget. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has handed down another large $115.5 billion for health, aged care and sport, with the portfolio seeing an additional $32 billion in funding over the next four years. Overall, we were disappointed to note there is limited targeted funding towards addressing pain management, despite the prevalence and pervasive nature of chronic pain as well as the impact that the pandemic and recent regulatory changes have had on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Painaustralia has collaborated with our friends at the Australian Pain Management Association and Chronic Pain Australia to jointly advocate for people living with chronic pain who have been impacted by the 1 June Opioid Reforms. We hope that our combined advocacy will help to highlight the urgent need for on-ground supports and services for people juggling complex chronic pain conditions through the already unprecedented environment of 2020.

Finally, I would like to thank you – our valued readers – as we release this 100th edition of our enewsletter. This milestone could not have been reached without your unfailing support and engagement.

Carol Bennett, Painaustralia CEO