Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I have some questions for the government, if the minister is able to answer some questions.

I want to know what the impact will be. This TPP agreement includes 22 clauses that are effectively on ice and that were insisted on by the United States in the first round of negotiations. This includes the intellectual property chapter, which contains a series of rules which lock in strong monopolies for patents on medicines at the expense of affordable access to medicines. This is particularly in relation to cancer medications and treatments, in addition to longer monopolies on data protection for biologic medicine. It's making it much harder and a much longer wait for affordable cancer medicines to be available. These clauses are effectively on ice. They haven't been deleted. Could the minister please explain how these clauses may be reinstated, should the United States agree to be a party to this agreement at any point from today onwards?