DEPUTY Federal Opposition leader Sussan Ley escalated her involvement in the pharmacy lobby's campaign against changes to dispensing rules last week by visiting community pharmacies in marginal electorates.
Ley plans to travel further afield to drum up opposition to Labor's reforms after visiting four pharmacies in the former metropolitan Liberal strongholds of Reid, Bennelong and North Sydney, reported news.com.au.
The senior Liberal MP claimed to have heard first-hand that the govt's changes were already forcing closures and the sacking of staff, most of whom were women.
She shared she had witnessed "widespread anger" in the pharmacies she visited in Sydney.
"I was really struck by the customers who were coming up to me worried their local pharmacy could close," Ley said.
The MP has shared a video of herself with three staff pharmacists at Pharmacy 4 Less in Sydney's Ryde, in the seat of Bennelong.
In the clip, the three pharmacists outline their concerns about the reform after Ley asked them to share their message.
"Mr Prime Minister, we call on you to review the policy.
"We think the policy's flawed and you are absolutely cutting the guts out of community pharmacy," one pharmacist said.
"Revisit the policy and stop this madness before Sep.
"Let's sit at the table with the Pharmacy Guild to work out a solution to go forward."
Another pharmacist warns of additional costs for patients.
"My name's Kamal, I've owned this pharmacy for 12 years.
"I can tell you my patients aren't happy," he said.
"This 60-day policy will have to be passed on to our patients and, ultimately, they will be paying a cost for this."
Ley called on the independent and Labor MPs who now represent those three metropolitan electorates to "listen to these community pharmacies, stand up to the Prime Minister and take action".
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