Senate Public Hearing, Therapeutic Goods Amendment Bill 2017, ANU, January 24, 2018

The Department of Health, the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) and the Health Minister’s Office have been trying to bypass the Senate Committee system on the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2017 Measures No.1) Bill arguing that it was non-controversial! Which it is not!

See, talks to:

Mordi Skeptics, “Update on advertising and complementary medicine reform“.

Vic Skeptics, “Whack-a-mole” student work and an update on TGA regulatory reform“.

Fortunately, Senator Richard Di Natale (Greens) responded to requests to get the Bill reviewed by the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

In response, submissions were scheduled over the Christmas, New Year holiday period and the public hearing requested was rejected because Senators were on holiday. This appears to be a deliberate process to minimise the number of submissions received and eliminate public debate; a travesty of parliamentary process and open democracy.

Regardless, several civil society organisations have joined together to hold a public hearing to debate contentious provisions of the Bill. The venue is the Australian National University, the date 24 Jan 2018, the time 2:00-5:00 pm. The Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee and Secretariat, the TGA and the media have been invited. Interested people can also attend (program and RSPV: John.Braithwaite@anu.edu.au).

Some of the committee will attend, but it would be great if some more members could attend to help represent Canberra Skeptics.