Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Billions and billions—thank you, Senator Williams. It has refused to subsidise life-saving treatments for thousands of Australians so that it can pay for its mismanagement—its utter, total mismanage­ment—of the economy.

Government senators interjecting—

All that waste, and yes, people will pay for this as a consequence of your mismanagement. Witnesses from the pharmaceutical companies said tens of thousands of patients had been affected and potentially many more would be if new drugs were not made available. Of course, federal cabinet will be making life-and-death decisions, a point succinctly and repeatedly made by so many witnesses. Companies were being discour­aged from investing in research and develop­ment because there was no certainty in the process anymore. Senator Ryan referred to the five recommendations that the committee is making. These go to overturning the decision that the Gillard cabinet made to get involved in the process. It should not have been involved.

Senator Polley went on about the record number of applications to the PBAC during the July meeting. Of course, Senator Polley, there were record numbers, because the process started—as if you were not listen­ing—years ago, and the July meeting was the end result of a process. Even you, Senator Polley, should be able to understand what was said in simple English, and that was that this was the end of a process.