Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I will come back to the senator with a comprehensive answer on that. We do have those bodies in place specifically to use expert knowledge and get advice to government around approvals processes. And it's not just for medical technology: there are other processes for pharmaceuticals as well, and other treatments. So there are good reasons to have processes in place that advise government and then, obviously, government has to make decisions—particularly if there are fiscal implications for those. But we are absolutely determined to build and invest in a world-class health system here. We have that, but it has to be stronger. It's under enormous pressure, and we know that improvements in medical technology, devices and treatments are being accelerated at pace, and that systems have to respond to that. But I will come back with a comprehensive answer from the Minister for Health and Ageing.