The May 2016 $54 million election commitment and DANII Foundation’s advocacy for continuous glucose monitoring 

HISTORICAL SUMMARY  |  MAY 2016 

DANII Foundation community members and supporters during the campaign for greater access to CGM technology. Photograph from the DANII Foundation collection. 

A landmark commitment in May 2016 

On 15 May 2016, during the 2016 federal election campaign, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Health Minister Sussan Ley announced a Coalition commitment of $54 million to improve access to continuous glucose monitoring technology for children and young adults with type 1 diabetes if the Government was re-elected. 

At the time, the proposed program was expected to support eligible Australians under 21 with type 1 diabetes. For families who had been meeting the substantial ongoing cost of CGM themselves, the announcement represented an important step toward making this technology more accessible. 

The commitment was subsequently implemented in 2017 through government-supported access to CGM for eligible young Australians. Eligibility and funding arrangements have changed considerably since then, so the details on this page should be read as a historical record rather than current program advice. 

Why CGM mattered so deeply to DANII 

For the DANII Foundation, access to CGM was never simply a policy issue. The Foundation was created following the death of 17-year-old Daniella Meads-Barlow in 2011 from complications of type 1 diabetes. Her loss gave Donna and Brian Meads-Barlow a clear purpose: to advocate for technology, education and support that could help other families manage the risks of type 1 diabetes. 

CGM technology provides glucose information throughout the day and night and can alert a person, parent or carer when glucose levels are moving outside their target range. In 2016, however, the cost of the technology placed it beyond the reach of many Australian families. Improving access became a central focus of DANII’s advocacy. 

DANII Foundation representatives and members of the type 1 diabetes community at a CGM advocacy event. DANII Foundation photograph. 

Years of community advocacy 

The May 2016 announcement followed sustained advocacy across the type 1 diabetes community. DANII Foundation worked to keep the practical experiences of families in front of decision-makers and the wider community, with a particular focus on the safety benefits of diabetes technology and the financial barriers to accessing it. 

DANII’s contribution included meetings and engagement with government, public awareness campaigns, community education and the sharing of lived experience. The Foundation also worked alongside other diabetes organisations and advocates who were seeking improved access to CGM. 

From election commitment to real-world access 

The 2016 commitment was an important beginning rather than the end of the journey. In 2017, the Australian Government commenced subsidised CGM access for eligible children and young people with type 1 diabetes. DANII then turned significant attention to helping families understand the technology and the new access arrangements. 

The DANII Foundation National CGM Information Roadshow was part of that work, bringing families, health professionals, advocates and community members together to learn about CGM and its role in day-to-day diabetes management. 

DANII Foundation National CGM Information Roadshow, 10 April 2017. DANII Foundation photograph. 

Families and community members attending a DANII Foundation CGM information session. DANII Foundation photograph. 

A milestone on a much longer journey 

DANII continued advocating after the initial program began, including for access beyond the original age-based eligibility. Over subsequent years, CGM subsidy arrangements expanded, culminating in subsidised access for all Australians living with type 1 diabetes in 2022. 

Looking back, the May 2016 announcement remains a significant moment in DANII Foundation’s history. It demonstrated that sustained community advocacy could help move diabetes technology from something many families could not afford toward broader, publicly supported access.