National Health Amendment (Supporting Patient Access to Cheaper Medicines and Other Measures) Bill 2024

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion "that the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea). The amendment was introduced by South Australian Senator Anne Ruston (Liberal) and would have added the text below.

Amendment text

At the end of the motion, add “, but the Senate notes that:

(a) the measures contained in this bill are only a result of sustained advocacy from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and other groups with the support of the Coalition;

(b) the bill is recognition by the Government that its initial approach to 60-day dispensing would have caused damage to all Australians who rely on their local community pharmacist; and

(c) the ink is not even dry on the Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement and the Government is already undermining community pharmacies by foisting a rushed and ill-conceived vaping model on community pharmacies without their consultation or support”.