Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I want to speak briefly to the amendments that have been put forward by Senator Canavan. Absolutely nobody in Australia wants to see Australian children getting access to vaping products and becoming addicted to vaping. That has to be the absolute focus of any action in relation to vaping. But the reality is that we know that the current prescription system is not being enforced, which is why we're seeing so many young Australians getting access to flavoured vapes in coloured packaging down at the corner store.

It's important to acknowledge that there are significant difficulties in measuring the extent of the issue before us. It would be extremely difficult to measure the effect of any further regulations aimed at tackling vaping because of the black market. So, like with the tobacco discussion we were having this morning, until we can actually get a handle on the black market and on enforcement of the black market—which is why the amendment that we moved earlier that was successful in this place sought to address illicit e-cigarettes and illicit tobacco—these are substitute products and enforcement needs to be equally strong on both of them. We know that that's not the case at the moment.

I absolutely acknowledge the intent behind Senator Canavan's amendments in terms of his pragmatic approach to, firstly, dealing with the challenges of access to nicotine based products that are illegal in Australia as we sit here today, unless they are sourced through a prescription and a pharmacist. We've heard contributions to say that that's absolutely limited the ability to access through that means. We understand that the regulations that are being brought in by Minister Butler will prohibit being able to import your own vapes if you have a prescription from a doctor. So we know that that's not working.

This bill, I acknowledge, is predominantly about tobacco and this about the framework that sits around tobacco control and not vape control, but we absolutely agree with Senator Canavan that more needs to be done on the issue than the shallow headline announcements that we've seen so far from the government on this particular issue. I also acknowledge the deposit scheme that Senator Canavan has put forward. I would absolutely say to the government that, in legislation that you intend to bring to this place, it would seem to me like an entirely sensible thing for you to include this really sensible amendment that Senator Canavan has put forward.

As I said, this is about the issue of tobacco and tobacco control. For that reason, we will not be supporting Senator Canavan's amendments. But I would certainly suggest to the government that it has a look at what they're doing going forward with vaping to make sure that the actions they put in place really do address the most significant issue about vaping that's before us at the moment, and that is children getting access to bubble gum flavoured vapes at their corner store. Until you can come in here and prove to us that your measures really will deal with children getting access to nicotine based vaping products, I would suggest that you are missing the role that we were put here to do.