Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Xenophon for his contribution. I assure Senator Xenophon that the government has consulted very extensively with homoeopathic and anthroposophic practitioners and suppliers on an appropriate level of regulation of those substances and that this bill provides a framework for standards for homoeopathic medicines; it does not set out a new regulatory burden. The schedule does not come into effect until 2011, which allows time for broader consultation and for the industry sector to prepare to comply with the framework. So there will be plenty of time to continue our consultations and to ensure that the legislation delivers what we want to have in Australia, which is a framework for therapeutic goods that continues to meet the need of Australians to access safe and effective therapeutic goods.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a third time.