How a Liberal MP Put Mould Illness on the National Agenda
For many Australians, mould is just an unpleasant stain on a wall. But for former Liberal MP Lucy Wicks, mould became much more than that—it became a life‑changing ordeal and the catalyst for national reform.
A Personal Battle That Became a Public Cause
Lucy Wicks, who represented the Division of Robertson from 2013 until May 2022, courageously revealed her diagnosis of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)—a debilitating condition triggered by prolonged exposure to mould and biotoxins. Her symptoms ranged from chronic fatigue, chest infections and memory lapses to pneumonia and asthma—all symptoms that led her to campaign for a federal parliamentary inquiry into biotoxin‑related illnesses in 2018.
The inquiry shared powerful stories of Australians suffering from mould‑related illness and issued recommendations including:
Funding for further research into mould and biotoxin illnesses;
Clinical guidelines for GPs to better identify and treat these conditions;
Reforms to building codes for moisture control and ventilation; and
Stronger protections for tenants, ensuring they’re informed of past mould or water damage in rental properties.
Wicks called mould illness a “hidden epidemic” that could no longer be ignored. Her advocacy placed the issue firmly on the national agenda.
Holding the Line: Lucy Wicks’s Successor, Dr Gordon Reid
When Lucy Wicks was unseated in May 2022, her successor in Robertson was Dr Gordon Reid, a local emergency doctor who ran as the Labor Party candidate Dr Gordon Reid. While from a different party, Reid has continued, and in some ways intensified, the mould advocacy work that Wicks began—demonstrating that this issue transcends party lines.
In February 2024, Dr Reid took to the floor of Parliament to declare “war on mould,” emphasising the serious risks that poor mould remediation poses to tenants, homeowners, and individuals with respiratory conditions. He drew on local insights from MouldSafe, highlighting how some businesses perform inadequate removal—merely suppressing mould temporarily, only for it to return in a worse state.
He called on the NSW Government—and the federal level—to step up with strict regulation, oversight, and better processes to ensure mould remediation is done properly, once and for all.
According to community updates, Dr Reid has also met personally with mould‑safety advocates to discuss the issue and was commended for taking the agenda forward in Canberra.
A Unified Cause Across Political Lines
For Liberal-leaning readers, Lucy Wicks’s story resonates as a powerful example of personal courage, transparency, and commitment to public safety. And even though she’s no longer in Parliament, the work continues.
Dr Gordon Reid, a local GP turned MP, demonstrates that concern for everyday Australians’ health knows no party boundaries. His advocacy for stronger regulation of mould remediation shows a pragmatic, results-oriented approach that aligns with Liberal values of accountability, better standards, and informed communities.