Mr RIPOLL —I am pleased to announce to the House that the Ipswich Attention Deficit Disorder Association has received a grant from the Gaming Machine Community Benefit Fund. I was proud to support the application and provide assistance throughout the application process. Attention deficit disorders are a medical condition affecting around five per cent to 10 per cent of Australian children. The impact of attention deficit disorder, ADD, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, is very traumatic for the child and the family. Children with ADD generally suffer from inattention, overactivity and impulsive behaviour. While this may describe all children sometimes, kids with ADD are like this most of the time. The disorder affects both the child's school and home life. They often fall behind in learning because of concentration difficulties. Their energy and impulsiveness make discipline very difficult to manage for parents and teachers.

Children with ADD are not `bad kids'; they have a medical condition that can be helped, sometimes with medication and sometimes with therapy but always with understanding. Parents of children with ADD are eligible to apply for the child disability allowance, but beyond this they also need support and understanding from the community. Families affected by ADD can find support from groups like the Ipswich Attention Deficit Disorder Association. The association provides advocacy for ADD sufferers and the opportunity for families with similar problems to help each other.

The grant to the Ipswich ADD Association will provide library resources and up-to-date information regarding learning disorders. The Ipswich ADD Association provides a valuable and essential service whilst improving awareness and understanding of learning disorders in the wider community. (Time expired)