Page 2916 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 15 August 2018
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I am glad to see the walking back in respect of the language here today. I am glad to see the minister’s amendment but it still does not go far enough for the Liberal opposition. The Liberal opposition believes that there should not be a further impost on small business people in relation to this. If the government thinks it is worthy that we have a resource and we can direct people to where they think they need to go, I think an online resource is the way to go. I commend the amendment to the Assembly.
MS FITZHARRIS (Yerrabi—Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Minister for Transport and City Services and Minister for Higher Education, Training and Research) (10.27): I would like to assure the Assembly that based on my discussions with Ms Cody I know she has thought long and hard about this. As she has said, she previously worked at the Pharmacy Guild; so she does understand the business of pharmacies. She has also spoken to many consumers.
Madam Speaker, it is important to recognise that, yes, of course we must speak to pharmacists and to the Pharmacy Guild about this, which collectively we have done. I know that Ms Cody has spoken to a number of people during the course of this week. And you know what is great about that, Madam Speaker? This is exactly what we do here in the Assembly.
Often what private members’ day does is raise discussion in the community. It gives us an opportunity to talk about these things. Ms Cody has done that with her community and with pharmacists, and she has raised this issue here in the Assembly today. I think that is great. I also think that this is a real opportunity to have a look at this issue.
My amendment calls on the government to explore options for the introduction of a requirement. I could propose a further amendment to Mrs Dunne’s amendment whereby we could add to my original amendment that we also consider an online tool. That gives the government the ability to explore options.
If that were acceptable to the opposition, we could actually have an agreed amendment in this place to allow the government the option to explore a range of different ways to get the outcome that Ms Cody is seeking to achieve, which is to inform consumers about where they can most appropriately receive the health medication that they need. If that were acceptable to the opposition, I would be open to amending the motion. If Mrs Dunne could give me a nod, we could perhaps do the writing on that.
MADAM SPEAKER: I suggest that either someone else speak or that we adjourn the debate and come back to it. Ms Berry, you have the floor.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Women and Minister for Sport and Recreation) (10.30): I am very happy that this motion has been brought forward by Ms Cody today. As Ms Fitzharris said, having these conversations during private members’ business on Wednesdays is very important, particularly
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