Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today Western Australia is served by over 600 pharmacies that provide a central, community-based health support for all Western Australians. So many of them have contacted me in recent weeks about the Labor government's shameful 60-day dispensing policy. All of them have been in complete despair and genuine despair. Sadly, their concerns have fallen on deaf ears, of not only their local Labor MPs but also their Labor senators.

The simple truth about this policy is it will result in closures and job losses in pharmacies right across Western Australia. What Labor have forgotten is that most pharmacies are family-run small businesses—families and business with mortgages, struggles with the increasing cost of living and 12 interest rate rises under Labor over the last 12 months—and it is a complete disgrace. They were not even consulted on the implications and the impact of this policy.

The following is what Labor would have heard had they bothered to ask pharmacists in Western Australia and, I am sure, in the rest of the nation. Pharmacy owner Nikki in Western Australia said real pharmacies like hers will be the hardest hit. They won't be able to afford to pay both their staff and their mortgage. Perth pharmacist Daniel says, "Our industry has been thrown under the bus." His pharmacy, like so many others, will lose more than $200,000 per year, which is the equivalent of three staff that they will have to sack. Paul's rural pharmacy is the only one in town. He will lose 50 per cent of his net profit, which means sacking local, regional staff. So many others will be forced to reduce opening hours, stop after-hours deliveries to aged-care residents and increase the price of non-prescription medicines for all Western Australians.

There are other ways for the Labor government to provide cheaper medicines—and it is not too late—without hurting the pharmacies. (Time expired)