Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I foreshadowed earlier today that the government would be moving an amendment, which I think has been circulated—item (1) on sheet QH363. The government amendment reflects recommendation 2 of the Senate Community Affairs Committee report into the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2007. The recommendation of the committee was that the minister report to the Senate 12 months after the implementation of the reforms on the impact of the reforms particularly on the cost of medicines to consumers.

What the government proposes here is just  that the minister must prepare a report on the impact of the reforms made by the bill and the impact on the cost of pharmaceutical benefits to patients as a consequence of the reforms. I should point out, however, that the preparation of the report, according to the amendment, must be completed by 31 December 2009. I understand that the opposition agrees with that because it is only at that stage that sufficient information will be available to make sensible conclusions about public policy. I move amendment (1) on sheet QH363 on behalf of the government:

(1)    Schedule 1, Part 1, page 63 (after line 14), at the end of the Part, add:

93A  After section 104A

Insert:

104B  Report on impact of National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Act 2007

        (1)    The Minister must prepare a report on:

             (a)    the impact of the reforms made by the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Act 2007; and

             (b)    the impact on the cost of pharmaceutical benefits to patients as a consequence of the reforms.

        (2)    The preparation of the report must be completed by 31 December 2009.

        (3)    The Minister must cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 5 sitting days of that House after the day of the completion of the preparation of the report.

I see Senator Bob Brown here and I just want to correct a statement I made earlier in relation to the earlier debate, and I shall do this, Senator Brown, for your benefit in particular. Earlier, in response to a question from Senator Brown, I advised that Mr Ian Chalmers from Medicines Australia was a member of the Access to Medicines Working Group. I have since been advised that this is not correct. Mr Chalmers is not a member of this group. The fourth member of the working group is Mr Stephen Crowley. Mr Crowley is a nominee of Medicines Australia and is an employee of Janssen-Cilag.