[Greens-Media] Media Release - Landmark report indicates systematic government failure on superbugs

[Blyberg, Andrew (Sen R. Di Natale)]

Media Release
 
Dr Richard Di Natale
Greens Senator for Victoria
 
07/06/13
 
Landmark report indicates systematic government failure on superbugs
 
A Greens-initiated Senate Inquiry has found that successive governments have failed to adequately deal with the emerging threat of superbugs and antimicrobial resistance over the last decade and recommends a new approach.
 
"Superbugs are an enormous global threat to health and this report has found that Australia has not done anywhere near enough to deal with the issue and recommended a new approach," said Greens health spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale.

"The Howard Government was presented with a comprehensive set of recommendations for dealing with this problem more than a decade ago but successive governments have failed to act on some of the most critical recommendations.

"Deadly superbugs result from the overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals but the government response has been inadequate because the issue cuts across different departments and agencies and no entity has been given responsibility for leading the charge.

"The Greens-initiated inquiry into this issue has already spurred the government into taking a more active approach but after a decade of relative inaction we cannot simply continue with the status quo.

"This landmark report has unanimously recommended an that we set up an independent body to deal with the issue. The Greens believe that this should lead to the establishment of an Australian Centre for Disease Control,  modelled on the European CDC.

"Now that we have cross-party support for a new approach, the challenge is to makes sure it doesn't fall off the agenda in an election year. These changes needs to be a priority for whichever party forms government in September because we cannot afford another decade of inaction."

The full report from the Finance and Public Administration Committee can be found here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=fapa_ctte/completed_inquiries/2010-13/jetacar/report/index.htm 

Media Contact: Andrew Blyberg 0457 901 600