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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 595 asked in the Legislative Council on 1 September 2021 by Hon Dr Brian Walker

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

MEDICAL CANNABIS — MGC PHARMACEUTICALS

595. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the Minister for Health:

I refer the minister to the announcement in The West Australian of 28 August 2021 that Perth-listed and based MGC Pharmaceuticals has secured a $33 million deal to launch its medicinal cannabis products onto the United States market.

(1) Will the minister take this opportunity to congratulate MGC pharma on its success?

(2) Although welcoming the cash injection, does the minister share my frustration, and that of many medicinal cannabis users here in Western Australia, that this funding will go to improve patient access to medicinal cannabis products in the United States while we still struggle here in Australia with exorbitant prices in our own domestic market, courtesy of federal government inaction?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the Minister for Health.

(1) Yes, the McGowan government congratulates MGC pharma, as a Western Australian–based company, on its international success.

Part (2) of the member's question asks for an opinion, which, of course, does not need to be provided under the standing orders. However, I have an answer to (2).

(2) The minister has previously written to the commonwealth in support of the inclusion of cannabis-based products on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme to provide funded access to these medicines for Australians.