Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Thalidomide disaster was the most significant pharmaceutical regulatory failure in Australian history – thousands of affected babies died in vitro, and survivors have lived with significant impairments since birth,

  (ii) there are an estimated 100 living survivors in Australia who are experiencing rapid deterioration of their health and quality of life,

  (iii) the Community Affairs References Committee conducted an inquiry on support for Australia's thalidomide survivors, and the committee reported on 22 March 2019 and found the current supports available to thalidomide survivors are inadequate; the committee made 11 recommendations, including that the Government should issue a formal apology, as well as provide compensation to enable survivors to live with their disability—the findings received unanimous support from the committee,

  (iv) the Federal Government has not yet responded to the report and has indicated to survivors that they will not do so until mid-2020 – the only action taken by the Government so far has been to offer a plaque situated at the National Arboretum, and survivors have expressed the inadequacy of this offering as it is both inaccessible and unlikely to be enjoyed by survivors as many of them will be too immobile or would have passed away by the time the garden will have flourished, and

  (v) further, survivors have clearly articulated the need for urgency in enacting all recommendations of the report, especially those which call for the provision of compensation to all survivors; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) urgently respond to the committee report, and

  (ii) enact all recommendations of the committee report without delay.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison government recognises the plight of victims of thalidomide and understands that they have suffered from circumstances outside of their control. The experience of thalidomide has been a national tragedy. The government is working on finalising its response as a matter of priority. A response to the recommendations of the Senate inquiry is complex and requires cross-portfolio consideration. Therefore, we will not be dictated to on timing by those who have never been in a position to enact change nor those who failed to enact change when they were in a position to do so.

Question agreed to.