Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to thank the members of the House who have contributed to the debate on the Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill (No. 3) 2006the members for Reid, Blaxland, Scullin and Shortland for the opposition and the member for Cowper for the government. This is a very straightforward amendment of an administrative nature which allows the electronic lodgement of applications to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for manufacturing licences, which previously have only been allowed to be lodged in writing—which had been deemed to be a rather archaic hindrance on industry.

The legislation will allow a much easier and more streamlined approach to the administration of applications for manufacturing licences and other applications, which will benefit consumers in that products will get to the market quicker and will benefit industry in terms of saving costs. I know that you, Madam Deputy Speaker Bishop, have a particular interest in the complementary medicines sector, and this will benefit people in the complementary medicines industry and in other areas, as well as consumers. It will cover a number of areas.

Blood supply was mentioned by the member for Shortland. The only issue that the member for Shortland raised which I thought was relevant to the bill was the issue of the ANAO report concerning the TGA’s handling and administration of decisions. That report did not suggest for a moment that any of the decisions had ever been wrong but that they could be more efficiently handled. I am pleased to say to the House that the ANAO report’s recommendations were adopted by the TGA some time ago and have been evaluated. Private contractors have been in the TGA to determine whether the TGA has responded adequately. All the reports to me as the parliamentary secretary have indicated that the TGA has addressed all of those issues and put in place the systems that the ANAO would regard as appropriate. I can assure the member for Shortland, since she sought an assurance, that that has been the case. I am glad that somebody raised a matter relevant to this bill, albeit towards the end of the contributions by the four speakers from the opposition side. With that, I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Ordered that the bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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