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1,800+ Sign Petition to End Australia's Postcode Lottery in Cancer Care

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Monday, November 10th 2025 at 17:30 GMT by The West Australian

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More Than 1,800 Sign Petition to End Postcode Lottery in Cancer Treatment Services

The West Australian — June 12, 2024

A growing movement is demanding that Australia’s cancer treatment system be leveled, with a petition that has already attracted more than 1,800 signatures. The petition, launched on the online platform Change.org, calls on the federal government to abolish the “postcode lottery” that has left patients in regional and remote areas with fewer treatment options than their metropolitan counterparts.

What is the postcode lottery?
In health terms, a postcode lottery means that the quality, quantity, or availability of care differs based on where a person lives. In Australia, patients in some states and territories enjoy access to cutting‑edge therapies, such as CAR‑T cell therapy, and to dedicated radiotherapy hubs. Others, especially those in sparsely populated regions, may have to travel hundreds of kilometres or wait months for the same services. The disparity has been highlighted in several independent reviews, most recently in a 2023 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) titled “Cancer Care in Rural Australia”.

Petition details
The petition text, which can be viewed in full on the Change.org site, states: “We demand that the federal government end the postcode lottery in cancer treatment services. Every Australian, regardless of where they live, should have timely and equal access to the full spectrum of cancer care, from screening and diagnosis to the most advanced treatments.” The petition also urges the implementation of a national framework that standardises service provision and funding across states and territories.

Why it matters
Dr Karen Thompson, an oncologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, explains: “Even a small delay in accessing a new targeted drug can reduce survival rates. For patients in rural New South Wales, that delay can be months longer than for those in Sydney.” Thompson’s comments echo findings from the Australian Cancer Journal, where a 2022 study reported that patients in remote areas had a 12 % lower overall survival rate for breast cancer compared with metropolitan patients, even after adjusting for age and stage at diagnosis.

Stakeholder support
Cancer Council Australia, a national advocacy group, issued a statement supporting the petition. The statement noted that the Council’s own data show that 22 % of Australian residents live more than 200 km from a tertiary cancer centre. “We have long campaigned for national standards that ensure equity in care delivery,” the statement read.

The Australian Government’s Department of Health, whose website hosts the Cancer Care Standards 2024 policy document, acknowledged the petition’s concerns. The policy, published in May 2024, lays out a phased plan to increase funding for regional oncology services and to establish a national database that tracks treatment accessibility by postcode.

How to get involved
Beyond signing the petition, the Change.org page lists several action items for supporters: contacting local MPs, attending the upcoming “National Cancer Equity Summit” scheduled for August 15 in Canberra, and sharing the petition on social media. The petition’s “About” section explains that the goal is to reach 10,000 signatures, which would put the issue on the government’s priority agenda.

Looking ahead
Health policy experts predict that the next federal budget will address some of these concerns. Professor Eli Graham, a health economist at the University of Queensland, predicts that “increased investment in mobile oncology units and telehealth support services could dramatically reduce the postcode gap.” He also points out that a key hurdle remains: ensuring that funding allocations are transparent and tied to measurable outcomes.

As the petition gathers momentum, patients and advocates across the country are calling for a unified, equitable system. The message is clear: no Australian should be denied the best possible cancer care simply because of their postcode.