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Monday, 21 November 2011
Page: 13056

Tuberculosis

Debate resumed on motion by Mr Entsch:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the scale of the tuberculosis threat to Papua New Guinea , and the mortality, morbidity, economic and social costs, and risk to Australia if this threat is not managed;

(2) notes that since 1978, the Torres Strait Islands Treaty has included Commonwealth c ompensation for the impacts of the care of Papua New Guinea nationals on the Queensland health system;

(3) condemns both the Federal and Queensland governments for indicating they will terminate the tuberculosis clinics on Saibai and Boigu islands which currently provide vital tuberculosis surveillance and clinical care for Papua New Guinea nationals, and reduce the risk of the emergence of drug resistant strains of tuberculosis;

(4) calls on the Federal Government, through AusAID, to immediately provide lo ng-term funding to clinics that provide tuberculosis services to Papua New Guinea nationals and front line health protection for Torres Strait Islander Australians; and

(5) calls on the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing to consult with frontline publi c health experts to formulate a long-term strategy which ensures that Papua New Guinea programs and Torres Strait Islands clinics deliver a combination of disease surveillance and tuberculosis care for Papua New Guinea and Torres Strait Islander Australians.