Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister guarantee that, under his 60-day dispensing rule, no pharmacist will be worse off?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can guarantee that, under our cheaper pharmaceuticals policy, six million Australians will be better off. Six million Australians will be better off. We had questions at the beginning of question time about the cost of living, and then those opposite stand up and say that people who have arthritis, people who have heart conditions, people who have diabetes, should pay more for their medicines. That's what they say. Just like the only government that produced cheaper medicines for Australians in the history of the pharmaceutical—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will pause. I'll hear from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Are you sitting down, Prime Minister?

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The deputy leader will proceed with her point of order without commentary.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on relevance. The Prime Minister is not answering the question about whether—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. The question was about the 60-day dispensing rule. The Prime Minister was being relevant, and I'll make sure he remains relevant for the remainder of his answer.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The pharmacy sector make a vital contribution to the health of the local community. They have my respect. I have sat down, including with Trent—

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You haven't met them!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You wouldn't know. You would not know. I not only have sat down—

Opposition members interjecting—

You struggle to find the chamber, mate! I sat down with the head of the Pharmacy Guild in Brisbane two weeks ago. I sat down with the vice-president of the Pharmacy Guild in my electorate office just a couple of weeks ago. I'll continue to engage with community pharmacies, including in my own area, as will the health minister. And every member will because every member here knows the important role that community pharmacists have. But what we won't do is ignore completely, which those opposite want us to do, the cost-of-living pressures on people who have a health condition that requires regular drug treatment for the rest of their lives. Why should they pay double what they need to? Why should they? That's what those opposite have to ask. They can be angry—all this fake outrage from those opposite.

What we are doing is delivering on cheaper pharmaceuticals. We, through the minister, are and will continue to be engaged with the Pharmacy Guild and with community pharmacies. But we will be engaged in the interests of their customers as well. (Time expired)