Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to present a petition on behalf of my Leeton shire constituents in the Riverina regarding the pressing need for an additional pharmacy in the town. The principal petitioner is Tracey Rudd from Leeton. The petition I present today, which has been stamped as being in order by the Petitions Committee, notes the need for an additional pharmacy as well as the fact that two existing pharmacies in the community were purchased by the same owners yet continue to trade separately. The petitioners note that the Leeton community is concerned that there is not enough effective competition in the pharmacy market in the town. The petition, therefore, asks the House to call upon the Minister for Health, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek, to exercise her ministerial discretion so as to provide an additional section 90 approval number to the town of Leeton so another pharmacy may be opened.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

This petition of the Leeton Shire Community draws to the attention of the House that the residents of the Leeton Shire are in need of an additional pharmacy to service their community. Both pharmacies in Leeton were recently purchased by the same owners. Despite the fact that both pharmacies have been kept open and are trading separately, the community of Leeton are concerned that there is not enough effective competition in the pharmacy market in the town of Leeton.

We therefore ask the House to call upon the Minister for Health and Ageing to exercise Ministerial Discretion so as to provide an additional Section 90 approval number to the town of Leeton so that another pharmacy may be opened.

from 4,858 citizens

Petition received.