Proposed changes to the medicinal cannabis licence fee structure made progress in parliament this week with no further amendments.
The Narcotic Drugs (Licence Charges) Amendment Bill 2022 supports the Commonwealth’s effective recovery of costs associated with the administration of medicinal cannabis licences.
It brings the fees and charges framework in line with reforms introduced last year which simplified the licensing framework.
The previous suite of licences required for cultivation, production, manufacture and research were replaced with a single licence, the majority of which were made perpetual.
Along with recommending the simplified licence structure, John McMillan AO’s review of the Narcotic Drugs Act recommended changes to the fees and charges framework to better align it with the new model.
Assistant minister for health and aged care Ged Kearney said: “The amendments in the bill are intended to provide sufficient flexibility for the regulations to appropriately prescribe charges supporting the effective recovery of the costs associated with administering the Narcotic Drugs Act 1967.”
It passed its third reading in the House of Representatives this week and is now progressing through the Senate.
