Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator McLucas was here last week when I asked some questions of the department. She was representing the minister and she would know that I asked about this on the record last week in Senate estimates. We did not get the answers from the department. I put them on notice then and I am following it up tonight to say: this is important. The government cannot keep sitting on their hands and saying the federal election got in the way of action. This was announced well and truly before the federal election. The federal election was 21 August; we are here now at the end of October. We need action and we need it fast. People with diabetes deserve that support. I am making it very clear to the department in particular, but also to Nicola Roxon—look, I commend her, she has a big job as minister for health, but the fact is there are 1.5 million-plus Aussies out there with diabetes who deserve that support. Diabetes was made a national health priority under Michael Wooldridge, a former Liberal health minister. He was an excellent minister. Gee, he did a good job.