Member for Farrer Sussan Ley yesterday met Albury Wodonga Cancer Foundation chairman Eric Turner, offering to meet the protesters when they arrive in Canberra on Wednesday afternoon and promote meetings with government and opposition parliamentarians.

Ms Ley said campaigners needed to move now to win the attention of federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, and lay claim on behalf of the Border centre to the $50 million she believed remained in the Rudd government’s kitty to fund cancer care.

“I know meetings with Nicola Roxon have been sought and I know she is incredibly busy, but we have to bring the mountain to Mohammed,” Ms Ley said.

“There are further expected allocations to this program before a federal election is called.

“The Border has a real claim to money in that program but it has to be right here, right now.

“If too much time passes, we are more likely to miss out.

“Now is the hour. It will be a very busy parliamentary week so the minister has to pay attention.”

Mr Turner said a bus and driver, donated by Martins Buses, would leave the Albury railway station at 7.30am on Wednesday, and was due to arrive in Canberra at 12.30pm.

He said the protest by cancer sufferers, their carers and volunteers involved in palliative care and chemotherapy, was the culmination of the campaign that began five weeks ago in response to Ms Roxon’s rejection of the Border’s initial cancer centre proposal.

“All we can do is make a strong gesture and 17,000 names is a considerable amount,” Mr Turner said.

“Sussan will progress this where we can’t because the minister has turned her back on us.”

Ms Ley said she was overwhelmed at the number of signatures collected by Mr Turner and his team.

“It is an extraordinary indication of the support and anger of people on the Border,” she said.

“We need to impress upon Nicola Roxon the clear need to revisit this program on their behalf.”

Editorial — page 20