Littleproud warns of pharmacy closures in the bush

David Littleproud has warned that pharmacies in the region will close because of Labor’s 60-day prescription rule changes, putting lives at risk

Nationals leader David Littleproud. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Nationals leader David Littleproud says the lives of regional Australians will be put at risk from Labor’s 60-day dispensing rules to halve the cost of medicines because pharmacies in the ­region will close.

Speaking on the ABC Insiders program, Mr Littleproud said pharmacies were the “last line of primary care for rural and remote Australians” and “if they leave, then we have nothing”.

“This is a challenge where we just think the government should stop, should pause and should talk to the pharmacies. There are ways through this,” he said.

“And the Pharmacy Guild has been trying to engage with the government to get a commonsense solution around (a) phase-in, about shared risk, shared responsibility on this.

“But the unintended consequence unfortunately is us in rural and regional Australia ... it’s our wellbeing. This isn’t about politics,” he said. “Now if we lose this, we lose our last line of primary care. There will be perverse health outcomes. And I fear ­regional and rural Australians’ lives will be put at risk.”

The 60-day dispensing policy will be applied to 320 common medicines and come into force from September 1, with the government saying the measure will save patients an estimated $1.6bn and free up millions of GP appointments.

Despite the criticism from Mr Littleproud, the opposition did not follow through last week on a threat to disallow the new 60-day dispensing changes in the Senate. The Coalition instead sought to delay its disallowance motion until September – after the introduction of the new rules.

Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said the ­opposition wanted to give the government time to “get back to the table and resolve (the) legitimate concerns of community pharmacists”.

Labor, however, brought on a vote and defeated the Coalition disallowance motion with the backing of the Greens and key crossbenchers, ensuring the new dispensing rules could enter into force from September.

On Saturday in Mount Isa, Anthony Albanese said locals had thanked him for making medicines cheaper.

“What we need to do is to look at ways in which we reduce costs of living, and we are certainly doing that,” the Prime Minister said. “The fact the Coalition and One Nation’s attempt to stymie cheaper medicines failed in the Senate on Thursday is good news.”

Liberal deputy leader Sussan told Sky News the opposition was “on the side of consumers”.

“Pharmacists and consumers work together in every pharmacy across Australia to support vulnerable patients and their access to medicines,” she said.

“I’ve stood, not just in my rural pharmacies open in small towns where, by the way, there is no doctor – so if you didn’t have your pharmacist, you would be absolutely lost when it comes to healthcare.

“You can’t get your medicines from a pharmacy if that pharmacy is closed. And that is what we are absolutely facing with this measure.”