
Member for Murray Helen Dalton says $2 million may not be enough to continue funding a highly anticipated study into the relationship between Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and Blue Green Algae.
Asked at a press conference last week about the next steps, Mrs Dalton said she plans to approach Minister for Health Ryan Park about acquiring more funds for the ongoing research.
Part of the research will investigate the rates of MND in the Griffith area, which has been known to be seven times the national average.
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"It's looking like $2 million won't really hit the sides to get to the bottom of what is happening so we're going to need more money and narrow down what we can put it towards - which could include making MND a notifiable disease," Mrs Dalton said.
According to Mrs Dalton, plans are in the works to meet with the health minister's staff along with the leading professor on the research, Professor Dominic Rowe, who she says she has been in consistent contact with.
"We are certainly grateful to Mr Park for securing the $2 million. This topic is certainly on our minds and we really want to hit the ground running because work is desperately needed in this space," Mrs Dalton said.
"We will be meeting with Professor Rowe to determine the next steps and will be going to Minister Park to talk about additional funds.
"We're also weighing up whether to extend the research to a national level, which could lead to more funds.
"It's an overwhelming issue. Water quality around the world is declining. There are a lot of countries doing a lot of work in this space and we're eager to get things moving here."
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