Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson for her question and for her obviously very sincere interest in this issue. The reason the states deliver those trials is that it is the responsibility of the states and territories to do that—that is the appropriate mechanism through which they should be delivered. This government has now—I think very responsibly—through the Minister for Health and Aged Care and her leading work provided an opportunity for those people who need to access medicinal cannabis for health purposes to do so.

Obviously there needs to be a strict regulatory environment, and this government has put that in place. Once these processes have been concluded, we are going to see people being able to access medicinal cannabis, which they were not able to do before. I have to note that the community drive to ensure that this was put in place was not insignificant, and it came from people across many communities. I know that my colleague here, Senator Ian Macdonald, was one of those involved in the committee process that looked in detail into the benefits and into how this will operate. I think we have the balance right; I think we have landed at a point where we are going to be able to deliver something that will provide health benefits but at the same time maintain that very strict regulatory requirement that is needed to ensure the safety and efficacy of the delivery of this medicine. In relation to the question of delivery through the states and territories, that is the appropriate process.