Division Description Changes — Motions — Covid-19: Hydroxychloroquine — 27th Aug 2020

Change	Division
representatives vote 2020-08-27#4 Edited by mackay staff on 2020-08-28 12:29:44	Title ~~Motions — Covid-19: Hydroxychloroquine~~ Motions - Covid-19: Hydroxychloroquine - Don't let a vote happen Description ~~<p class="speaker">Tony Smith</p>~~ ~~<p>The question is that the motion moved by the member for McMahon be disagreed to.</p>~~ The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with a motion to suspend the usual procedural rules - known as [standing orders](https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/parliament-at-work/standing-orders/) - to allow a vote to happen. ### Motion text > That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for McMahon from moving the following motion—That the House: > > (1) notes that: > >> (a) on 25 August 2020, the Member for Hughes gave a speech in the Federation Chamber supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19; >> >> (b) in his speech, the Member said that "media bias", "groupthink" and the "complete abandonment of reason" were driving a "war" on hydroxychloroquine and "the big hand of government … interfer[ing] in a doctor-patient relationship", and cited a number of medical commentators including: >> >>> (i) Professor Christian Perronne, who is being investigated by the French College of Physicians for his comments on hydroxychloroquine; >>> >>> (ii) Dr Harvey Risch, who was rebuked by 25 Yale University colleagues for promoting "conspiracy theories, purported hoaxes, and the views of zealots"; and >>> >>> (iii) Dr Kulvinder Gill, who was criticised by other Canadian doctors for misleading tweets on hydroxychloroquine; >> >> (c) in Australia, potential therapies are assessed for safety and efficacy by the independent Therapeutic Goods Administration, and the TGA "strongly discourages the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 … or prevent COVID-19"; and >> >> (d) the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, comprised of 29 peak health bodies, has also advised that "hydroxychloroquine is potentially harmful and no more effective than standard care"; and > > (2) affirms that it is the responsibility of all public officeholders to acknowledge and support the independence and expertise of the TGA and counter misinformation and conspiracy theories.

~~<p class="speaker">Tony Smith</p>~~
~~<p>The question is that the motion moved by the member for McMahon be disagreed to.</p>~~
The majority voted in favour of *disagreeing* with a motion to suspend the usual procedural rules - known as [standing orders](https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/parliament-at-work/standing-orders/) - to allow a vote to happen.
### Motion text
> *That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for McMahon from moving the following motion—That the House:*
>
> *(1) notes that:*
>
>> *(a) on 25 August 2020, the Member for Hughes gave a speech in the Federation Chamber supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19;*
>>
>> *(b) in his speech, the Member said that "media bias", "groupthink" and the "complete abandonment of reason" were driving a "war" on hydroxychloroquine and "the big hand of government … interfer[ing] in a doctor-patient relationship", and cited a number of medical commentators including:*
>>
>>> *(i) Professor Christian Perronne, who is being investigated by the French College of Physicians for his comments on hydroxychloroquine;*
>>>
>>> *(ii) Dr Harvey Risch, who was rebuked by 25 Yale University colleagues for promoting "conspiracy theories, purported hoaxes, and the views of zealots"; and*
>>>
>>> *(iii) Dr Kulvinder Gill, who was criticised by other Canadian doctors for misleading tweets on hydroxychloroquine;*
>>
>> *(c) in Australia, potential therapies are assessed for safety and efficacy by the independent Therapeutic Goods Administration, and the TGA "strongly discourages the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 … or prevent COVID-19"; and*
>>
>> *(d) the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, comprised of 29 peak health bodies, has also advised that "hydroxychloroquine is potentially harmful and no more effective than standard care"; and*
>
> *(2) affirms that it is the responsibility of all public officeholders to acknowledge and support the independence and expertise of the TGA and counter misinformation and conspiracy theories.*