ARN’s Pete Holland takes diabetes equal treatment fight to parliament

Pete Holland. Image supplied

ARN announcer Pete Holland has taken his fight for subsidised continuous glucose monitors to the nation’s capital, invited to Parliament House in Canberra yesterday, to speak at the National Diabetes Summit and Convention.

Peter – a type-2 diabetic – has already been interviewed numerous times across radio, TV and newspapers, but says delivering his address to parliament was the pinnacle.

Managing his insulin-dependent diabetes has been a daily struggle for the Hunter Valley radio host.

Last year, Pete told Radio Today how his situation had been made even more challenging by his inability to afford a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) – a wearable medical device that provides real time glucose level readings via her smartphone.

“I hear about the life-changing benefits of CGMs from people with type 1 diabetes, including my daughter, all the time,” Pete said.

“I’ve seen first-hand how it helps them keep their blood sugar levels in check without the constant finger pricks.”

But Pete says despite the proven benefits of CGMs in preventing severe hypoglycaemia and improving overall diabetes management, the Australian government only funds the devices for those with type 1 diabetes.

In contrast, countries like Canada, France and the UK offer CGM subsidies to all individuals living with either type 1 or insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes.

During the 2025 election, Pete launched a change.org petition, calling on all sides of politics to commit to expanding access to CGM devices for the hundreds of thousands of Australians living with insulin-requiring diabetes.

“Access to essential diabetes management tools shouldn’t depend on the type of diabetes you have,” he said. “We’re not asking for better treatment. We want equal treatment.”

Images: LinkedIn