Natasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Santoro. It relates to pregnancy counselling and, specifically, today’s announcement and the claim by government that the hotline and pregnancy counselling services will be non-directive, as they should be. Is the minister aware of a number of claims that current government funded pregnancy counselling services have provided misleading information or have failed to provide—in fact, refused to provide—referrals for terminations? Will the government now move to regulate pregnancy counselling by making these pregnancy counselling services subject to laws that are similar to the Trade Practices Act so that the services are actually prohibited from engaging in any deceptive conduct or misleading advertising? Given today’s announcement, will the government also ensure the regulation of these services?

Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stott Despoja for her question. I can assure her that the MBS item will require the service to be nondirective. Practitioners and allied health professionals claiming the item will not be associated with clinics that provide termination services. That will be a requirement under that MBS item. Also, practitioners cannot provide termination services for the periods that they are claiming the counselling item. As is usual practice, a specific MBS item descriptor will be finalised in consultation with the profession.

In relation to the suggestion that at the moment some of the counselling services are in fact providing misleading and wrong information, I simply ask Senator Stott Despoja if she would provide whatever information she has. If she already has done that, I am sure that the Minister for Health and Ageing will be looking very seriously into any suggestions or allegations to that effect and I am sure that he will act properly and promptly on them.

Natasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer. I note that the minister referred to the MBS item. What about the hotline? How does the government intend to ensure that the services provided through the hotline are non-directive? I note from the minister’s answer that one of the arguments the government has put forward is the exclusion of those health professionals who just happen to work in abortion clinics who already provide pregnancy counselling services. Apart from excluding those professionals—psychologists, social workers and clinical psychologists—what is the government’s plan to ensure that this process is accredited and regulated and that non-directive services are actually genuinely provided, given that the government claims that the services are non-directive already but yet we have complaints that the government is indeed well aware of?

Santo Santoro (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can understand Senator Stott Despoja’s concern. The government has given serious thought to the issue that she has raised. Two training modules will be developed in relation to pregnancy counselling and advice. One module will be developed for general practitioners and allied health professionals and the other for telephone counsellors. The modules will be focused on skills in non-directive pregnancy counselling and will ensure providers are able to deliver to clients authoritative, evidence based information which has been developed in consultation with appropriate professional bodies. This will include up-to-date information on available government family support payments and entitlements. The tender process for the development of the training modules will comply with Commonwealth procurement guidelines and involve an open tender supported by an advisory committee from the relevant professional bodies.