Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am pleased to introduce the Narcotic Drugs Amendment (Medicinal Cannabis) Bill 2021.

The bill amends the Narcotic Drugs Act to support an innovative Australian medicinal cannabis industry for the benefit of Australian patients by:

This bill's measures principally give effect to recommendations of the review carried out by Professor John McMillan AO.

First, the bill replaces the obligation for separate licences for any cultivation, production, manufacture and research activity with a single licence. Significantly, the majority of these single licences will be perpetual, thus reducing regulatory burden. For example there will no longer be a need to go through a regular licence renewal application and assessment process for potentially multiple licences relevant to an entity's business operations.

A single perpetual licence will also allow licence applicants and holders to appropriately manage their business investment and planning decisions. The obligation to hold a permit for day-to-day operations including specification of the allowed quantity of medicinal cannabis provides sufficient proportionate oversight.

The bill maintains the current specified supply pathways for medicinal cannabis including for clinical trials under the Therapeutic Goods Act and approvals or authorities under that act. They are supplemented by additional pathways for medical and scientific research additional to clinical trials, provided that it does not involve administration to humans; and the development of a reference standard. There is a separate regulation-making power to prescribe additional supply pathways anticipated to ensure compliance with the good manufacturing requirements under the Therapeutic Goods Act.

Reminding us all of the reasons for the medicinal cannabis regulatory scheme, the bill also includes a clear statement of its purpose—an assurance that medicinal cannabis products are available to patients for therapeutic purposes.

The department has been in lock step with industry on these reforms. In addition to consultation by Professor McMillan, the department has sought feedback through public consultation papers, conducted a number of industry forums in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and most recently held an industry information session on the measures in the bill.

These changes maintain the careful balance the act strikes between facilitating cultivation, production and manufacture of a cannabis drug, implementing Australia's obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs to safeguard against illegal practices to provide for safe and sustainable pathways for patient access to medicinal cannabis therapies.

Debate adjourned.

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