David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, I have a couple of questions on how this policy will be evaluated, but, firstly, I would like to say—Senator Ruston was making this point—that this bill has changed substantially over the last week. We're essentially considering a vastly different bill to the one that was on the table last week, and it's disappointing that stakeholders weren't given more time to consider these changes.

Since the details of the bill were released earlier this week, the overwhelming message I've received directly from medical professionals and public health experts is that this is not ideal. As was mentioned, the Pharmacy Guild don't appear to support these changes, despite being the ones who will be the most impacted through this new model. I wonder if, at any time, the Greens asked the pharmacy profession, the medical profession or the public health community how they felt about what was being proposed and what emerged earlier this week on the new model that's on the table.

I don't disagree with many of the changes that have been made, but I know that legislation is strongest when there is rigorous debate, scrutiny and buy-in from those who need to implement it. Clearly, leaving the current policy settings in place isn't an option. The current system, which was put in place by the former government, has undermined our public health. It's been a public health disaster. It's led to an explosion of underage vape use and illegal sales and has created a new generation of nicotine addicts in Australia.

The alternatives we are offered today are to do nothing and continue with the current model, which is not working, or to wait for the coalition to develop a policy on retail sale. Let's be clear: a retail model will develop a new generation of full-time vapers, leading to full-time smokers. I think it's an appalling way forward. We know that tobacco use causes lung cancer, which is still the leading cause of cancer death in this country, despite all the work that has gone into reducing smoking. At the same time, tobacco increases the risk of stomach cancer, throat cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer and bladder cancer. It also causes heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It suppresses your immune system. It can contribute to hearing loss. There's excellent research showing that vape use puts young people on a path to tobacco use; you can't separate the two. I don't think any parent wants vaping or tobacco for their child.

It took the world a long time to grapple with tobacco—it took decades—and we saw lots of delaying tactics. Many lives were lost. Most of us will know someone who smoked and ultimately faced the health consequences of that. While vaping leads to tobacco use, we also don't know the long-term impact of vaping. We know only that the chemicals within vapes are harmful. With this in mind and with the options on the table, I will be supporting the amendment and the bill.

It is critical that we do not create a new generation of nicotine addicts. If we can stop it before it starts, we will be saving lives. I would love to see us as a parliament taking this longer-term view on legislation—actually looking up to the young people who are coming through this building and getting a view on democracy that is meant to represent them. But so often we're so focused on the next election that we're not willing to do the hard things to protect them. When it comes to things like climate change and having a duty of care to young people, as well as housing and actually addressing some of the root causes of the housing crisis, we've got to be looking longer term.

Minister—going back to my initial point—I would like to know how the government will be evaluating the success of this model. What is laid out and what are the timeframes for review?