Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026

Ms WHITE (Lyons—Assistant Minister for Women, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health) (12:53): Medicines are essential for the provision of health care in Australia, although many improvements have been made since the introduction of the mandatory medicines shortages and discontinuations reporting scheme in 2019.

Supply disruptions continue to impact the health and wellbeing of people in Australia, and the health practitioners and the systems that support them. The Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026 strengthens key aspects of the mandatory medicines shortages and discontinuations reporting scheme under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, principally by requiring sponsors to notify the secretary of any decisions to permanently discontinue the supply of reportable medicines in Australia at least 12 months in advance, requiring sponsors to give such notice to update the secretary if there is a change in that approach, including if the supply is no longer proposed to be discontinued or if the discontinuation is to occur at a different time to that notified, enabling the secretary to require all sponsors of approved medicines to provide information about the availability and any shortage or discontinuation of their products in Australia.

These amendments are consistent with this government's unwavering commitment to public health and will mitigate the public health risks associated with medicine shortages and discontinuations by supporting a strong and effective mandatory reporting scheme under the Therapeutic Goods Act. Together with the associated amendments in the Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Amendment Bill 2026, this bill will implement measures to reduce costs and regulatory burden for sponsors who have multiple similar biologicals in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

These amendments are consistent with this government's commitment to reducing regulatory burden. The other minor amendments in this bill will support the consistent and effective operation of the Therapeutic Goods Act and the Therapeutic Goods Regulatory Framework. I thank all members for their contributions to the debate on these bills.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Fernando ): The immediate question is that the amendment moved by the honourable member for Kooyong be agreed to. Question negatived. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question now is that the amendment moved by the honourable member for Lindsay be agreed to.

Question negatived. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that this bill be now read a second time. Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time. Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.