Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland) (23:51): March is Endometriosis Awareness and Action Month, when we recognise the impact of endometriosis, educate people on the signs and symptoms, and support funding for vital research. Endometriosis is a debilitating, chronic and incurable disease that affects at least one in 10 girls and women across Australia. It is estimated that endometriosis costs Australian society $9.7 billion a year, with two-thirds attributed to loss in productivity and around $2.5 billion being direct healthcare costs. The tragedy of endometriosis is the time it can take for a diagnosis and the years it can take to get a proper plan of management to reduce the impact of the disease on women's wellness and fertility. I am so lucky to have had a supportive mother and GP and was diagnosed at the relatively young age of 21, before it impacted fertility. Unfortunately, there are still many myths about endometriosis, including that it can be cured by hysterectomy; however, its symptoms can increasingly be well managed. I acknowledge and commend the work of Endometriosis Australia, women's health workers, carers and loved ones, who together help women to meet the challenges that result from this condition each and every day.