Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. I support consumer access to cheaper medicines. However, many of my Mayo pharmacists are genuinely worried that 60-day dispensing without adequate compensation will leave them to lay off staff, reduce services or close. I ask the minister: what modelling has been done on the impacts on regional pharmacies? Will the minister assure the House that no pharmacy will be forced to lay off staff or close as a result?

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mayo for her question, and for her engagement in a number of discussions about the impact of this policy on community pharmacies in her electorate in the Adelaide Hills and a bit beyond that, and also on her constituents.

We went to the last election promising cheaper medicines, and we're very proud of the record of delivery we already have on making that happen in 12 short months. But we recognise there is more to do, which is why, unashamedly, we accepted the advice of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee in the budget to move to a 60-day dispensing limit for certain common medicines that are used for chronic disease. This is a common practice around the world and recognises the changing nature of patient profiles. Thirty-day dispensing makes eminent sense in a patient profile which sees people get single bouts of an infectious disease, a single dispensing of a prescription and then they're better. It doesn't make as much sense when people are on the same medicines for years or even decades.

Most obviously, this is going to be good for the hip pockets of patients—six million patients across the country. It's also going to be very good for their health, because we know from evidence overseas that in other countries which have adopted this, the most likely time people go off their medicines is at script renewal time. In those jurisdictions that have adopted 60- or even 90-day dispensing—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lindsay will cease interjecting or will be warned.

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

medicine compliance lifts by around 20 per cent. That's why this is supported by doctor groups, by patient groups and by other groups, including in rural—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will pause and I'll hear from the Leader of the Nationals.

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, Mr Speaker. The question was very specific, about modelling and if the minister undertook any modelling. He's doing everything he can but answer the question. He's putting people's lives at risk—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Resume your seat. The Leader of the Nationals is warned! You raise a point of order; you do not continue with your argument. If you interject one more time you will be removed from the chamber, it is highly disorderly.

The Minister for Cyber Security is getting close to being warned as well. The question was about cheaper medicines, about pharmacies and about modelling and the impacts. I will give the minister the opportunity to conclude his answer.

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. In addition to the hip pocket benefits, the health benefits and the freeing up of millions of GP consults, there's also the improved convenience for people who live in rural communities. I live within about 100 metres of a pharmacy, but people who live in rural Australia have to travel vast distances to reach their pharmacy. That's why this measure has been supported by the College of Rural and Remote Medicine, the Rural Doctors Association and the National Rural Health Alliance.

To the last part of the member's question: of course we are committed to the viability of the community pharmacy sector, which is why we have committed to fully reinvest all of the savings that we make here. The most substantial focus of us in designing that reinvestment package is the impact, particularly, on small rural pharmacies. We've had a couple of good discussions on this, the member for Mayo and I. We are doubling the rural maintenance allowance, which is, essentially, a payment that rural pharmacies receive simply to stay open. That will have differential impacts, depending on which part of rural Australia they live in—like the member for Maranoa, for example. There are areas where pharmacies will receive an increase from $40,000 in their allowance to $90,000—a 120 per cent increase in the payments they receive simply to remain open. We're still consulting about the final design of the package and I look forward to further discussions. (Time expired)

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gippsland on a point of order?

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to move an extension of time to allow the minister to actually talk about the modelling as well.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has concluded his answer; you need to do that while he's speaking.

Opposition members interjecting—

Order! Members on my right: if this level of interjection continues there will be a general warning issued. People warned so far are the Leader of the Nationals. I will hear the next question, from the member for Hawke.