Address to the House of Representatives, Statements by Members

Wednesday 6 November 2024

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, impact thousands of people. These are serious and often fatal illnesses. They are terrible diseases that I know so many families in our community are fighting every day. Although awareness is improving slowly, eating disorders are not very well understood. They often surprise families and leave them in the fight of their lives to help their loved ones overcome these diseases. Although some families and adults are able to overcome their eating disorders through acute care and psychological treatment, many in our community need a higher level of ongoing support, in the form of specific residential care, like the centre in Coombs I visited earlier this year with Assistant Minister McBride.

The centre was built with federal funds and is run by ACT Health. It is now open and will provide 24/7 care for people with eating disorders. The centre will offer therapy, including specialist intensive nutritional and psychological treatment, in a home-like environment. Many families across the ACT and our broader region will welcome the centre's opening. It will change lives for the better in our community. I'd like to thank all involved in the construction of the centre and, critically, I thank all the health professionals who are now staffing the centre and helping patients, families and carers treat eating disorders.