Pictured: CEO Rohan Greenland signing the condolence book for Her Majesty, The Queen, Elizabeth II at Government House.
MS Australia acknowledges the remarkable reign of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and her extraordinary contribution to more than 600 charities over 70 years, many relating to health, disability and research.
We join with our Patron, the Governor-General of Australia, in extending our heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family.
Recently, I was honoured to be appointed as the Chair of the Neurological Alliance Australia. So, what does this mean for the MS community? The Alliance brings together a growing number of non-government organisations to advocate for a range of common policy objectives.
These include:
- Better and fairer access to services, including the NDIS and aged care, with an immediate goal of getting a neurological voice embedded in the NDIS advisory structure
- Fair funding for neurological research, especially from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)
- Better data, with an immediate need for a neurological data set to be regularly collected through the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Collective advocacy gives us a stronger voice, with 13 organisations singing from the same hymn book.
I am pleased that the priorities outlined in a recent workshop strongly reflect MS Australia’s priorities as set out in the 2022-26 strategic plan.
These priorities were set in close collaboration with the MS community and articulated in our largest ever research and advocacy priorities survey conducted last year.
We are already pushing for a better NDIS for MS, more funding from the MRFF for MS priorities and improved data collection, so that gaps in service provision and research are brought to the attention of all governments.
Another common agenda is access to health care professionals, where and when they are needed.
We will redouble our advocacy for the 25,600 people living with MS and their carers, family, and friends. But we will amplify that voice tenfold as we also speak up with other NGOs representing around two million Australians living with a neurological condition.
We are stronger together.
Find out more about the Neurological Alliance Australia.
