Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In my contribution on the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009 I would like to start where the previous member, the member for Lyne, finished on the matter of billboards—and I think I know the billboards that he is referring to. They relate to the treatment of impotence. The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing will actually be looking at the claims surrounding that issue in a short and sharp inquiry that is going to take place in the very near future. I thought the member might be interested to know that because it has been an issue of great concern to a number of members on that committee. The committee has had a presentation given to it. I have actually written to the New South Wales Minister for Health, who has advised me that the Health Care Complaints Commission conducted an inquiry into the matter in 1998 and it is currently with the Office of Fair Trading in New South Wales. As the member rightly pointed out, we need a whole-of-Australia approach to the issue, not just in New South Wales. I thought I would just put that on the record as a matter of interest. Madam Deputy Speaker, I apologise for straying from the legislation that we are debating today, but I feel that to be vitally important. In effect, it does refer to this legislation because, like the previous speaker, I hope that it is captured by this legislation.

The bill amends the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to provide for medicines to be suspended from the register. It amends manufacturing licence arrangements and enables variation and transfer of licenses. It enhances monitoring powers, establishes a framework for the regulation of homoeopathic medicines and enables the minister to determine lists of permitted and prohibited ingredients. It clarifies that instruments in the act come under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 and it makes other amendments to improve and clarify the operation of the act. Currently medicines are treated differently from therapeutic goods. Therapeutic goods can be suspended from the list, but this legislation enables medicines to be suspended. As I mentioned, medical devices can be suspended already. This bill amends the manufacturing licences, enables variation and transfer of licences and enhances monitoring.

The previous speaker mentioned an issue that relates to homeopathic and alternative medicines. Back in 2003 there was a very newsworthy investigation into some of the practices. At that time there was a rethink about the way these goods were handled. This legislation has been prepared in consultation with the industry, but I hope it will pick up on some of those goods being sold with claims that misrepresent what they can and cannot do. I have had quite a bit of contact with people within my community on this. The member for Paterson, who I see has joined me, may have had some contact with people in the Hunter, too, in relation to some of the treatments and remedies that have been promoted within our community.

This legislation, I believe, will put in place some control and will enable the suspension of those medications which promoted as being able to treat a certain illness or deliver some remedy that they in fact cannot. It is also important to note that at the moment it is very, very difficult to have medicines removed from the list. This legislation will enable that to happen very quickly. It will streamline the process and overall it will ensure that goods—both homeopathic medicines and medicines generally—that are presented for sale within our communities are safe and deliver what it is said they will deliver. As has been noted by all speakers on this legislation, it is non-controversial. There would not be a member in this parliament who would not support it, and I have great pleasure in supporting it. I was pleased to be able to provide that extra information on impotence treatments.

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