Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate that, President. My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Gallagher. Two years ago, the House Standing Committee for Health, Aged Care and Sport completed it's The new frontier report, which made 31 important recommendations to help make it easier for Australians to access new medical technologies like medicines, devices and diagnostics. The inquiry spoke with just about everyone in this space: patients, clinical, health groups and the industry. There were more than 200 submissions and a dozen public hearings around the country. All that work was on a really important issue and yet the government hasn't spoken a single sentence in response. Nobody here wants people to miss out on the life-saving and life-improving technologies they need, but that's what's happening now and it's what the report was about. When can I tell Tasmanians that you will respond to it?

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

Thank you, Senator Tyrrell. I'm going to have to take that on notice. I'm not aware of that report, and I think you said it was a couple of years ago when it was reported—so under the previous government. It's our custom and practice to report within six months of committee reports being tabled, so I would imagine that should have happened under the former government. But I will take further advice on it and come back to you. I'm sorry, I just don't have the detail in front of me.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, your first supplementary.

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The job of the Medical Services Advisory Committee, MSAC, is to recommend whether to fund medical technologies, which means they become affordable for the average Australian. But there are delays with the committee approving things which can be of up to eight years from the first submission. Then there are delays in the government's approval process after the MSAC recommendation which can take a further two years. Can the minister advise specifically what is being done to address this bottleneck?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to 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.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, a second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The health technology assessment review is looking at how we can make the assessment and approval of new medical technologies simpler, but the review excludes many important devices, such as pacemakers and some cancer treatment technologies. They are still facing delays and they are no less important. Can the minister tell us how many improvements can be applied to all technologies, not just those subject to the review?

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

I think it's best that I take that on notice and come back with an answer to the whole thing. I'm sorry I couldn't assist you more, Senator Tyrrell.