Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition will not be opposing the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2010 Measures No. 1) Bill 2010, which introduces amendments to the Therapeutic Goods Act as part of the government’s regulatory reform plan designed to improve regulation of therapeutic goods in Australia. These amendments allow the secretary of a department to approve the importation and supply of certain medical devices that are not on the Australian register of therapeutic goods to act as substitutes for devices that are on the register when these are in short supply or not available. The other amendments are largely administrative and are a sensible alignment with medicines.

I want to use the limited time available to say that this is another bill which just highlights the total incompetence of the health minister. It needs to be put on the record that in the debate on the bill in the House of Representatives on 27 October Minister Roxon produced nine pages of changes containing 15 amendments to the bill. The debate had to be suspended because the minister had failed to circulate the amendments. The reason I raise this is because the minister goes out there constantly whingeing and complaining all the time that her health legislation is being delayed and opposed and is logjammed in the Senate, conveniently ignoring the reality that she and her government decide what legislation will or will not be debated. But in this case it highlights the shambolic way she deals with legislation. If she cannot manage the parliamentary process, how can she be trusted to deliver Labor’s so-called grand plan for hospitals? I put this on the record because I do not want a situation like the last end of term where the minister complained that the Senate was holding up her legislation. If this is the shambolic and incompetent manner that she deals with legislation, God help us all. Unfortunately, there is no cure for incompetence.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2010 Measures No. 1) Bill 2010 amends the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 to clarify the regulation of therapeutic goods in Australia and improve arrangements. I thank all senators who have made a contribution to this debate and commend this bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.