Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Assistant Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This morning I present a petition from constituents in my electorate calling on the Minister for Health to exercise his discretionary powers to approve the development of the community pharmacy at Valla, about 30 kilometres south of Coffs Harbour.

Valla Beach is a small beachside village that is a favoured holiday destination for many people who return year after year to enjoy a great lifestyle and holiday event. Just across the highway is Valla Rural, a small community mainly of primary producers. Combined, the Valla community has a population of over 2,000 people with the average age exceeding 50 years. There is a retirement village of close to 200 homes nearby. There is only limited public transport to take Valla residents to nearby towns.

Valla is a disadvantaged area needing greater access to healthcare facilities and support services. Residents in Valla would like to see a community pharmacy open in the village to ensure timely access to medication and advice for all members of the community. We know that community pharmacists play an important role in primary care health advice, disease prevention, education and proper use of medicine. The residents of Valla should not be denied easy access to such services.

Valla is 9.5 kilometres from Nambucca Heads and is therefore covered by the pharmacy location rules which effectively prohibit the development of a new pharmacy within 10 kilometres of an existing pharmacy. Unless the minister exercises his discretionary powers, it seems likely that a new community pharmacy will not be open in Valla.

It has been argued that the pharmacy services in Nambucca Heads are sufficient to serve the residents of Valla but, based on this petition, we can conclude that many residents of Valla disagree with that argument. Valla and Nambucca Heads are distinct communities. As I have said, there is little public transport between the two towns. Although many Valla residents travel to Nambucca Heads from time to time, for many older residents, a 20-kilometre-round trip to obtain important medication is not reasonable.

This petition includes more than a thousand signatures representing over half the community's population. In addition to this petition, a community survey registered over 98 per cent support for the proposal to establish a community pharmacy in Valla. Most city residents do not have to drive 10 kilometres or sit on a bus for half an hour each way simply to buy a box of blood pressure medication. But for many Australians living in regional areas, this is just part of life.

My constituents are simply asking the minister to use his discretion to give their community access to a service that is taken for granted by most Australians. This petition is not really asking for anything radical. All my constituents want is a fair go. They want to be able to walk to their local pharmacy. They want to be able to talk about their mediation needs with their local pharmacist. They want easy access to the services available to the majority of Australians. I commend this petition and table it in the House.

Petition read as follo ws—

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

This petition of residents and visitors to Valla and Valla Beach draws to the attention of the House: The Valla Community has a population of over 2000 people {comprising Valla Beach and Valla Rural). A community pharmacy would ensure the timely access to medication for all members of this community and further improve access to primary health care.

A pharmacy in Valla would provide continuity of care; address the lack of sufficient public transport in the community and the need to travel to surrounding towns for medication and pharmacy services.

Due to the current pharmacy approval rules Valla is not eligible to have a pharmacy to serve the needs of locals and visitors.

For a pharmacy to open in Valla it is essential that we convince the Minister for Health to exercise the Discretionary Power of approval. We must convince the Hon Peter Dutton MP that approving a pharmacy is in the public interest and that the Valla community is being left without reasonable access to Pharmaceutical Benefits.

We therefore ask the House to remedy this lack of reasonable access to pharmaceutical benefits for the Valla community in the Nambucca Valley by requesting the Minister for Health to exercise the Discretionary Power to approve the proposed pharmacy at shop 3, 35-39 Valla Beach Road, Valla Beach NSW 2448.

from 1061 citizens.

Petition received.