Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Prime Minister for Social Inclusion) Share this | Hansard source

In summing up the debate today, I appreciate Senator Murray’s very concise summation of the intent of the Trade Practices Amendment (Access Declarations) Bill 2008, because from Senator Coonan’s contribution we were not too sure just what it was all about.

Two points that are important in Senator Murray’s contribution were the issue about retrospectivity, restoring the original intent of the legislation, and that we are debating this trade practices amendment bill after having just finished with the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Poisons Standard) Bill 2008 which was also affected by the same Federal Court decision of Roche Products Pty Ltd v the National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee, and indicates the broader impact on a range of competitive markets that a Federal Court decision can make. On the basis of the generous support for this non-controversial legislation I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.