Pharmacists from across the country have gathered outside Parliament House calling for Health Minister Mark Butler's resignation, angered over Labor's 60-day dispensing policy.
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The policy, which came into effect on Friday, September 1, allows patients to purchase two months worth of medication at the same time.
The Albanese government has said the change will save six million Australians up to $180 a year, but industry advocacy bodies - including the Community and Pharmacy Support group - argue that the "rushed" change will pass on the cost to pharmacies and risk patient overdose.
As politicians sat inside for the first day back of a double sitting-week, the group's members took to the lawns in front of Parliament, calling on the government to pause and consult more widely on the policy.
Pharmacist Wisam Zoghbi told the crowd that "unfortunately, our current government, our leaders, and especially our Health Minister has decided to continuously ignore our concerns".
"Is this the type of Health Minister that Australia deserves?" Mr Zoghbi cried, as more than a hundred protestors chanted "Butler must go" and "sack Butler".
The group warns that the loss of revenue could threaten 18,000 jobs for women in the female-dominated industry, and see pharmacies across regional and rural communities close down.
Pharmacy owner Cobie McQueen, who travelled from the regional city of Horsham in Victoria, said that while she supported cheaper medicines, this couldn't come at the expense of pharmacists being able to support communities already struggling to access healthcare.
"The cost of medicine is irrelevant if those medicines become inaccessible," Ms McQueen said.
"There is no point going to the pharmacy every 60 days if there is no longer a pharmacy to go to."
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Nationals leader David Littleproud was one of several Coalition members to front the crowd. He accused the government of turning its back on the "health professionals that got us through one of the biggest challenges this country has ever faced since the Second World War".
"This is about the viability of healthcare for the men and women and children who live in regional, rural or remote Australia," he said.
"Over 400 pharmacies are the last line of primary health care defence for us and this mob wants to rip it away from us," he said.
Members of the group are expected to attend Question Time from the viewing gallery.
More to come.
Justine Landis-Hanley
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter at The Canberra Times, with an interest in integrity, regulation, and social services. Contact me with tips and feedback at justine.landishanley@canberratimes.com.au.
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter at The Canberra Times, with an interest in integrity, regulation, and social services. Contact me with tips and feedback at justine.landishanley@canberratimes.com.au.
