Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

Because I take seriously the pharmacy and its clients and I want to assist it into the future, as I said, I have agreed to meet the member for Melbourne. I do want to make one final point: not all pharmacies operate on a private for-profit principle. In fact, there are many who do not. There are Friendly Society Pharmacies, many in South Australia—that is, the National Pharmacies chain. They have been operating for over 100 years and they reinvest with member benefits. So let us not make this a private versus public argument, Member for Melbourne. Let us think of the patients and let us concentrate on the affordability of medicines. I look forward to your support for the package of legislation that I will soon introduce, aimed at exactly that.

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