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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 4 Hansard (22 April) . . Page.. 1270 ..

was intended to address the larger problem of hepatitis C within the community. The Action Plan did however indicate that the Red Cross should continue its Lookback on possibly infected units of blood.

(7) If there is a written report of the issues and progress will the Minister provide me with a copy.

(7) A copy of the Commonwealth briefing paper, as mentioned in response to Question 5, is available. This briefing paper indicates that Red Cross was undertaking a review of all infected blood products.

(8) If there was a written report of the issues and progress was it made available to the then ACT Minister for Health, if not, why not.

(8) Like all other briefing papers that go to AHMAC, the Commonwealth briefing paper on the National Hepatitis C Action Plan was dealt with at the AHMAC level. If there is a decision for an item dealt with at AHMAC to go on to the Australian Health Ministers' Conference (which is usually held many months later) a new paper would have been prepared for AHMC. However this item was not raised at the following AHMC meeting in July 1996.

(9) Can you provide a copy of all reports developed as a result of the resolution of item C7 of the AHMAC meeting of 14 November 1997.

(9) Item C7 at the October 1997 meeting of AHMAC was not about the Hepatitis C Lookback program, but rather about future funding and management arrangements in relation to the ARCBS. A report on progress made on the issues identified was discussed at AHMAC in March 1998, and an agenda item on funding and management arrangements was considered by Health Ministers in July 1998. An interim report of the working group set up to examine funding and management arrangements was considered at AHMAC in October 1998, and a set of principles to guide the development of a final report was endorsed by AHMAC. Progress on the development of the final report is to be discussed at AHMAC in April, and a report is then to be provided for Ministerial consideration at AHMC in July. While I have no problem in showing Mr Stanhope these reports on a confidential basis, release of these reports would need to be supported by the members of both AHMAC and AHMC.

(10) Were all such reports arising from item C7 provided to the then ACT

Minister for Health, if not, why not.

(10) Arising from the October 1997 and March 1998 decisions, an agenda item titled, "Red Cross Blood Service - - Review of Management and Funding Arrangements" was considered by the Australian Health Ministers Conference on 30 July 1998. The agenda item asked Ministers to note the reviews underway by AHMAC into the blood and blood products sector, including: new funding and management arrangements between Government and the ARCBS; the need for national blood shield legislation; the appropriateness of national indemnity insurance arrangements; and options for a national regulatory body to ensure blood safety, quality, and uniform best practice

standards. A timetable for the preparation of the final report was discussed, and I am

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