26/03/2026
Yesterday, the National Parkinson’s Alliance officially launched Australia’s first National Parkinson’s Action Plan (NPAP) at Parliament House. This is a historic turning point for the 200,000+ Australians living with Parkinson’s, and every person affected by the disease.
This plan is the result of one of the most comprehensive community consultations ever undertaken in the Australian neurological sector. It reflects real voices and stories of everyday experience living with Parkinson’s, caring for a loved one, or working in the health and research sectors. We thank everyone in our Shake It Up community who contributed their insights to help shape this plan.
The NPAP has 6 key recommendations to create genuine change:
* Tackle stigma and improve awareness
* Strengthen strategies to prevent and delay the disease
* Improve accurate and timely diagnosis
* Better clinical care and treatment
* Build capacity and capability in healthcare
* Improve data and maximise research impact
Executive Director of the NPA, Richard Wylie, said, “The National Parkinson’s Action Plan is not just a document to be filed away by the Government; it is a blueprint for meaningful action. The NPA are ready to work side by side with all levels of Government, and the Health System more broadly, to ensure the recommendations of the NPAP are delivered efficiently and effectively”.
Shake It Up Australia is proud to be a founding member of the NPA, and to work collaboratively on this vital plan to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s – now and into the future. The launch was supported by advocates Emma Tinkler, who shared an important perspective on life with early-onset Parkinson’s, as well as supporters Andrew Urquhart, Noel Passalaqua and Matthew Duffy, who all joined us in 2024 to call for federal government funding to develop this plan.
You can view the plan in detail here: https://buff.ly/bonj9dD
Pictured: Mel East, Matthew Duffy, Clyde Campbell, Andrew Urquhart, Noel Passalaqua, Vicki Miller and Jackie Dalton