Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

There are two pieces of legislation before the House, the Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010 and the Healthcare Identifiers (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2010. I want to make some very short comments that can cover both of them. Today is in fact a very big occasion for the provision of health services in Australia. Today, this parliament—this House and the Senate—is passing the very first piece of legislation required to build the e-health system into the future. It is a necessary foundation stone for us to be able to establish a national e-health record system for Australia. The amendments that were passed in the other place respond to concerns expressed in the minority report of the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, including by moving a number of matters planned to be covered in the regulations into the legislation.

The government would like to thank the opposition and the minor parties for their support of this bill, which is an important step forward to improving the safety, quality and efficiency of health care in Australia. While it might seem very late on a very long day to be doing this, it does ensure that this can come into effect from 1 July—next week—as planned. Across the country, we, healthcare providers and others can get on with the job of building an e-health system for the future of this country. It is with great pride that I recommend the bill with these amendments and that it be agreed to.

See this speech in context