Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, your own local pharmacist, Adele Tehan, who vaccinated you against COVID-19 and who you mentioned in the parliament just a few short weeks ago, has described the dispensing changes as hitting the pharmacy sector 'like a wrecking ball'. Is she right?

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

I thank the member for Riverina for his question. Adele Tehan is a very good pharmacist in my electorate. Her pharmacy is at Rosehill, and I regularly get the flu vaccination or other work either there in Rosehill or at my local pharmacy in Marrickville. We have a campaign by the Pharmacy Guild, and Adele is the vice-president of the Pharmacy Guild. Like any union, they're entitled to advocate for their members.

Honourable members interjecting —

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

Order, members on my left and members on my right! The House will come to order.

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

But, like any other union, sometimes they don't get it right, because they're advocating for their members. We are in constructive discussions with them. I want to see pharmacies thrive, but I'll tell you who else I care about besides the person who's the pharmacist: I care about the person who goes into the pharmacy. I care about the six million Australians who will benefit from cheaper medicines. That's what I care about. The logic that says that someone who has a permanent condition who will need a particular drug for the rest of their lives—be it for diabetes or a heart condition or other conditions—who can get a prescription for 60 days rather than 30 days should pay twice as much and should go twice as often to the doctor is, quite frankly, absurd. The reason why it was recommended to the former government, in which the member served as the Deputy Prime Minister for a little while before that terrible movie had a sequel, Barnaby Joyce II—

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

Order! The Prime Minister will refer to members by their correct titles.

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

is that you have no credibility ever arguing at this dispatch box on microeconomic reform, or efficiencies, or productivity, if you argue that that's a good model. That's why it was put forward to us.

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

The member for Fairfax will cease interjecting.

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

You received this advice at least five years ago and didn't take it. We make no apologies for standing for cheaper medicines. (Time expired)

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

The member for Forrest will cease interjecting. I remind all members to use the correct titles of members at all times.