Mr GRIFFIN (10:57 PM) —It is always a great pleasure to follow the member for Parramatta because there is always plenty to reflect on after he has spoken. You can reflect on his sanity, on his performance on a range of issues—

Mr Leo McLeay —He is the Michael Photios of the federal parliament.

Mr GRIFFIN —I note the interjection of the member for Watson, but I would have to say that I really could not comment on that.

Mrs Draper —Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. I wish to oppose the member's comment on the member for Parramatta and his sanity. I do not think that the member for Parramatta is insane or has a mental illness and I do not like the reflection.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Bruce has the call and while the comments that he made may not have been charitable, they were not unparliamentary.

Mr GRIFFIN —I would be the first one to admit that I am not qualified to make that comment in a clinical sense, but I am sure there are others who would and could and probably have done so.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Bruce will come to the matter for debate or the chair will be forced to intervene.

Mr GRIFFIN —I would like to comment on some events at this Monday's estimates hearings in the industry area relating to an organisation known as the Pharmaceutical Industry Working Group, which is a group set up by the government some 12 months ago for improving dialogue and consultation between the pharmaceutical industry and the government. I think that is a very good idea. I note the member for Bradfield nodding. I think there is a need for improved coordination between the pharmaceutical industry and the government, because it is a very important industry. However, in questions asked during estimates hearings, what came out was the following: the actual group was set up on 23 June 1998 and its next meeting will be on 30 June 1999, making it over 12 months between meetings of this group.

If you have got a consultative group, a group that is designed to ensure that industry and government understand what they are trying to achieve, that they are committed to working together in what is a key industry for the future of our nation, it is a bit odd when you have got a situation where the group has not met for over 12 months. Yes, there was an election, but the election was in October. There has been plenty of time since then for a meeting to occur. In fact at the estimates hearing it was suggested that a report from the APMA on the question of the economic state of the industry and the opportunities for the industry in terms of the future of Australia was actually instigated as a result of the working group. However, when we checked the APMA records we found that, in fact, that report was commissioned in May 1998 in a situation where PIWG did not even exist until June. I think the government has some very important issues to raise here.