Tisch Lindsay: International Treaty Examination — Consideration of Report of Health Committee Agreement between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of Australia for the establishment of a Joint Scheme for the Regulation of Therapeutic Products 
Tisch Lindsay: International Treaty Examination — Consideration of Report of Health Committee Agreement between the Government of New Zealand and the Government of Australia for the establishment of a Joint Scheme for the Regulation of Therapeutic Products 
[Volume:620;Page:15524] 
LINDSAY TISCH (National—Piako) 
: 
 This is a very interesting debate. The Government has moved against a select committee report and when we come to vote on it what will happen? Will Government members be supporting a report from the Health Committee that shows quite clearly that the actions they have subsequently taken are incorrect and that the whole country is against exactly what they have done? 
We are supporters of CER. We are quite happy to work alongside Australia and have closer economic relations with that country. There is no problem with that. But when we look at the first report that was done in December 2003 we see that it was to decide whether there was any merit whatsoever in having a trans-Tasman agreement. That is what the first report did. Before it was even out there in the marketplace what did this Government do? It entered into an agreement with Australia before the inquiry into the proposal to establish a trans-Tasman agency to regulate was finalised. The Government moved to do that before this report was tabled. That is a complete abuse of the select committee process and this Government will pay. When Government members vote on it will they be voting for this report which is absolutely damning of what they have done? [ 
Interruption 
] Here we go. Let us get this one very straight. 
Let us look at the next report which is the one I have in my hand. We have entered into an international treaty. Let us look at one of its recommendations. On page 3 the report states: “We made 34 recommendations to the Government. Our main finding was that the proposal to regulate complementary healthcare products jointly with Australia should not proceed.” That is what it states. This report contains recommendations on page 9 that throw this Government out to the wind. It is abusing the situation and every person who takes vitamins is getting up and saying: “Look this Government is abusing the process. It is abusing the select committee and it will pay.” The Government will pay at the next election. By gee it will pay because I know in my heart of hearts that this report is correct. 
Once again all that Government members are trying to do is to defend themselves in a situation that they know is completely wrong. They will pay the price because this is the report we will be voting on next members’ day. It will not happen tonight because I have a lot more to say yet. When I look at what Pharmac says I can see that I will probably need more than half an hour on that one. On page 3 the report states: “Pharmac noted a number of concerns about the joint agency proposal including possible increases in the costs of generic drugs particularly for small market products …”. This is a nonsense. Government members will pay. 
Debate interrupted.