Page 218 - Week 01 - Thursday, 18 February 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
It again shows that the motivation of this Government has little to do with the health of Canberrans and lots to do with the bidding of their political masters - those who are temporarily on the hill and those of the left wing of the ACT Labor Party. However, I suppose that I should be happy for small mercies, and I am pleased finally to have these pieces of legislation in front of us. Again, I should say "finally in front of us".
As I previously mentioned, the Poisons and Drugs (Amendment) Bill 1992 includes provisions for controls over Schedule 7 poisons. These are particularly dangerous poisons which require specific controls over the various stages of production, sales and storage. These controls have important public health implications. It is interesting that Mr Berry, in response to my motion back in October, said that I had to understand that this sort of legislation was not a first priority for this Government. Is Mr Berry saying that it is not a first priority for this Government that dangerous poisons are properly controlled and administered? I find it amazing if this is the case.
The Liberal Party totally supports these changed provisions for the improved control over these very dangerous substances. It would also come as no surprise to the Government that we support the scheduling by reference legislation. This legislation will ensure that as soon as recommendations are made by the NHMRC they are taken on board in the ACT. This will ensure that ACT residents are no longer disadvantaged as they have been in the past by not being able to get certain drugs and other preparations without a prescription. These are items which are available just across the border and, as I have said, for substantially less money in some circumstances. It will also ensure that drugs that the NHMRC may perceive to be more dangerous than originally thought are rescheduled into a more restrictive schedule as soon as that information comes to light.
It is pleasing that we are passing this legislation today, as the NHMRC has just brought down a new set of recommendations which will come into effect on 1 March. Hopefully, this will mean that for the first time the ACT will be able to adopt the amendments to the schedule in these recommendations immediately. Again I say that it has been a long time in coming but the Government has got it right and the Liberal Party will be supporting these pieces of legislation.
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (11.48), in reply: Madam Speaker, I recall the campaign that Mrs Carnell ran about this issue - another fear campaign about the availability of certain products for people who were suffering a particular illness. I noticed a great deal of concern from her about the cost of a particular product in the ACT, but I do not think that that concern went so far as to prick her conscience enough to give it away at the same price as that applying in New South Wales.
Mrs Carnell: We could not, under the legislation.
MR BERRY: You could pay for it on their behalf if you were really that concerned about it. Where was your conscience?
Madam Speaker, this legislation has been a while coming. It certainly has not been a top priority for the Government because on its legislative program it took other issues of social interest as being in need of earlier attention.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .