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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Wednesday, 23 June 2004) . . Page.. 2512 ..

We also noted that the extent of regulation of the business of a pharmacy as proposed by this bill appears to be wider than necessary to achieve the objective of the bill. Lastly, we noted that bringing about a situation in which a crown lease held by a pharmacist will contain the prohibitions specified in paragraph (c) of proposed new section 48B could require some degree of administrative change and possible changes to the law. These are some genuine concerns about the effectiveness of Mrs Cross’s bill. The minister obviously has also expressed strong concerns about this bill and he has passed on a letter with some concerns from the Pharmacy Board of the ACT.

Ms Dundas has prepared an amendment. I have been informed by the chief medical officer and the chief pharmacist that that amendment would also have unintended consequences of affecting pharmacies that already exist in Canberra. This originally would have made the current arrangements of pharmacies in shopping malls illegal.

It is clear that there is a willingness by potentially a majority of members of the Assembly—probably all of them, in fact—to deal with this issue but the dilemma that faces us now is how to do it. I hope that later today we will be able to find a way to carry out the intention of the bill.

I understand that possibly there are some urgent circumstances around the passing of this bill due to developments towards a move of a pharmacy into a supermarket in Canberra. Apparently the pharmacist owns the supermarket and the pharmacist is creating a space in the supermarket for a pharmacy business. There are legitimate concerns here that a pharmacy located in a local supermarket sets a precedent for larger corporate supermarkets like Woolworths to introduce pharmacies into their supermarkets. I understand that Ms Dundas is amending her amendment to try to deal with the particular concerns that have come up. I am seeking some advice on that particular proposal.

During conversations with various stakeholders on this issue, I was interested to see that the government is conducting an internal inquiry into unmet need and access in relation to pharmacies in Canberra. I know that concern has been expressed by a number of stakeholders that they have not been involved in developing the terms of reference for that inquiry. I have asked, through the officers, if I can see where that is up to. I have also asked—and other members of the Assembly might also wish to be involved—whether I can have some input through consulting with the major players and anyone else who is interested in developing these terms of reference.

There is probably an opportunity here for us to look at some of the broader issues. It would not be a bad thing to have a broader inquiry. I would think it would be very helpful if we had an inquiry which had terms of reference that were supported by everyone concerned. At the moment, a number of the people involved are feeling quite alienated from the process and, therefore, have no ownership of it. Therefore, I would argue that it is a problematic process. I hope that we can use this debate today as an opportunity to get from the minister a commitment to look at the potential for broadening that inquiry and involving people in it at this early stage, so that there is ownership of it. We might come up with some interesting conclusions about a very important primary health service in the ACT.

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