Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I thank the members of this House for the very mature, compassionate, considered and reasoned way in which this House has conducted this debate. I thank the Minister for Health and Aged Care. I thank the shadow minister for health and the previous shadow minister for health, the member for McMahon. I thank all members for their contributions. I thank all members for the respect they have shown to each other's contributions. This is the House at its best, I'm sure we would all agree.

This has been a very difficult issue, I know, for many. Indeed, these issues are difficult for me as a person of faith. But this law, known as Maeve's Law, which we have now passed, is a law to honour Maeve and to understand the challenges faced by Sarah and Joel. It could also have been called Liam's Law. It could also have been called Kara's Law, which is what led me to be the patron of the Mito Foundation. Kara died almost five years ago next year. She died of her 20th stroke. She was a beautiful girl. I knew her very well over many years, and I know that her parents, Craig and Karen, would be very pleased this day.

Karen also has that MELAS mutation. Her son, Braden, has it, and he's now suffering from the condition. His younger sister Samantha also has that gene. I just pray this will give hope to so many Australian families. I do indeed thank the House for the way that they have dealt with this matter.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I support the remarks of the Prime Minister on behalf of the opposition. I also want to pay tribute to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, who has shepherded this through. Regardless of what comes for the minister of health, this is a fitting high point for the minister for health this evening, and he can take due credit.

I also want to thank my own chief of staff, Andrew Garrett, and, on behalf of the member for Hindmarsh, Tomasz Skladzien, for their assistance, and the staff of the minister for health. Some people who opposed this bill pointed out that this has a long way to go before it saves a life. That is right, and that is a legitimate point to make. But the important thing is the House has started the journey today, and there will be lives massively improved and saved, in my view, as a result of the actions taken by the House today. This is the House of Representatives, the people's house, at its very best. I commend the House.