The Labor Government has partnered with Dementia Australia to deliver a nation-first pilot program addressing the growing concern of CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head injuries. This initiative follows dedicated advocacy from rugby league immortal Wally Lewis, who revealed his own probable CTE diagnosis in 2023 and led a delegation of 20 others affected by the condition to Canberra to campaign for support.

The two-year program will establish essential support services for people living with probable CTE while simultaneously launching a comprehensive awareness campaign targeting school children about the importance of brain health in sport. The educational component aims to address the concerning statistic that in 2021-22, approximately 1,600 young Australians between ages 5 and 24 were hospitalised with sports-related concussions.

This funding forms part of the government's broader commitment to tackling dementia in Australia, which is approaching becoming the leading cause of death nationwide. The program will be developed in consultation with teachers, parents, students, researchers, sports organisations, medical experts, and those with lived experience of probable CTE.

• $12.5 million national pilot program led by Dementia Australia

• Support services for people affected by probable CTE

• Educational campaign for school children on protecting brain health

• Driven by advocacy from Wally Lewis and the Concussion and CTE Coalition

• Part of the National Dementia Action Plan 2024-2034

[1] https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/australian-government-invests-125-million-for-king-wally-to-tackle-cte

[2] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-21/wally-lewis-anika-wells-cte-funding-announcement/104966194

[3] https://www.dementia.org.au/media-centre/media-releases/cte-funding-set-boost-australias-future-brain-health