Senate debates

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Regulations and Determinations

Therapeutic Goods and Other Legislation Amendment (Narcotic Drugs) Regulation 2016; Disallowance

4:13 pm

Photo of Helen PolleyHelen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

In respect of the time, and to allow others to make a contribution, I will keep my remarks very short. This is a complex issue, and neither of the options before us strikes a perfect balance between access for patients who have legitimate clinical need and protection of the broader community. But, on balance, Labor will support this motion to disallow the government's regulation on category A. We are hopeful this will give medical cannabis advocacy groups and clinicians time and space to craft an agreed way forward. In the meantime, terminally ill patients will have access to a therapy that can ease their suffering, and Labor will monitor the rollout of any evidence of abuse of category A.

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