Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

The government remains committed to the agreement, and it will continue. We will enter—no doubt, in the next little while—discussions into the eighth pharmacy agreement. But I think the point we're trying to make here is that the government got advice that said there is absolutely no reason why people have to come in every month to get their medicines. For a certain number of medicines, you only need to come in once every two months. If your doctor approves it, you can get access to this medicine once every two months. It will save you money throughout the year. It is safe. It's the advice to government, and, if we weren't acting on this, I think people who have to buy medicines every month are right to ask the government why, because the very clear advice is that it's safe. We want to work with pharmacies. And it means that it's cheaper for people who rely on long-term medicine.