10 April 2015
The Member for Murray Plains and Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh has written to The Pharmacy Guild of Australia in response to the Competition Policy Review Draft Report recommendations to deregulate pharmacies.
Mr Walsh said that The Nationals do not support the Review Panel’s recommendation that regulations governing the locations and ownership of community pharmacies be removed.
“In the rural electorates that we represent where health services are often understaffed and general practitioners overworked the local pharmacist plays a crucial role in servicing the health needs of the community “ Mr Walsh said.
“It is our view that our constituency has historically placed an absolute trust in the ability of their pharmacist to provide the very best service and advice and we can see little or no benefit to supermarket chains owning and operating pharmacies “ he said.
The Nationals have consistently made clear public commitments to the current pharmacy ownership model and local rules which are in keeping with their idealogy of putting locals first.