Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Local pharmacies are essential to our community. Labor's 60-day dispensing changes will effectively result in a cut to pharmacy funding of $3.5 billion nationally. That represents $150,000 for every pharmacy across Australia. Our pharmacists were not consulted and will struggle to afford this. It will mean cuts to services which are currently provided free of charge, including packing medication and Webster-paks; free health checks; the issuing of medical certificates; home delivery of medication; and child health advice.

There are 400 types of medicines currently in short supply. Sixty-day dispensing means that some patients will be able to access a double supply while others will struggle to access medicines to treat common ailments such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, depression, anxiety and epilepsy. One-hundred and fifty-eight medicines listed for 60-day dispensing are in shortage.

Shadow minister for health Senator Anne Ruston visited Moore and joined me to hear the concerns of local pharmacists, many of whom face going out of business. Pharmacists support affordable medicines but fear the policy changes by Labor will lead to cuts in patient services and hurt the viability— (Time expired)