Doocey MattTHERAPEUTIC PRODUCTS BILLFirst ReadingDebate resumed from 13 December.MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): Thank you very much Mr Speaker. It's a privilege to rise and speak on behalf of the National Party in support of the Therapeutic Products Bill. As this will be the last time I'll speak in the House for 2022 can I just wish you a merry Christmas. Enjoy a well-deserved break. Also to David Wilson the head Clerk of the House and everyone else who's helped make it a very good 2022. This bill in the first reading today that will be passed by the end of the 12 speeches will give the public some homework to do over the summer break—especially if the public is interested in the Therapeutic Products Bill they'll have an ability to make their submissions over the summer break. So it gives them a bit of homework. I've got a feeling this bill will provoke some response within the public. It's quite a big bill. It covers a range of areas. It's quite a substantial bill with 11 parts four schedules and over 432 pages.Hon Chris Hipkins: Hard-working Government.MATT DOOCEY: This is what the Leader of the House might call an omnibus bill. He would say that they've worked hard to get this bill into the House—on the last day I might add. This is another bill that they're putting through on the last day giving the public a lot of work over their hard-earned summer break. I'm not sure whether they want to break up the barbecue conversations. They're a bit worried about what the public is going to speak about over the barbecue so they're trying to task them with a lot of work putting submissions in. So for the public watching today if they are interested in making a submission this bill is about driving up the quality and the efficacy of our medicines. It's about driving up the quality and performance of medical devices and also the quality of our natural health products. Now for those who are avid watchers of the Therapeutic Products Bill it does come into the House with a very long gestation period. We can track it all the way back to former health Ministers like the Hon Jonathan Coleman who kicked off a piece of work in this area in 2014 and of course the Hon David Clark who also kicked off some of the preparatory work for this bill that has arrived today in 2018.Chris Bishop: He started it and now he's leaving.MATT DOOCEY: He has started it and he has signalled he will be leaving but he will be here for another year Mr Bishop so he will see this bill being passed. But he like others—I mean Jamie Strange made it very clear he wasn't ready for opposition; he would much rather leave than go into opposition. He was better suited to Government than opposition I think he said so he's made his intentions clear that he won't be here to take the opposition benches in 10 months' time.So this bill will replace the current Medicines Act 1981 and the Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985. Overall it's a bill that's looking to modernise. The scheme will of course align with international best practice. We're not a country in isolation even though we have felt that at times over the last year. The bill will also futureproof to ensure effective control over new technologies.Look I won't take up much more time of the House. We've got a few more things to do this afternoon before the House rises for the year but I will encourage the many Kiwis who are interested in this very important bill around modernising for better devices better medicines and better natural products to make their submission over the summer break. Thank you Mr Speaker.