Member for Riverina Michael McCormack is hopeful Wagga residents will continue to back the city’s pharmacies once Chemist Warehouse comes to town.
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Mr McCormack has been a strident advocate for pharmacy location rules that had, until now, prevented the discount medication giant from setting up shop in Wagga, though he has welcomed them coming to the city so long as they’re playing by the rules.
“As long as it doesn’t breach the zoning rules the federal government has for pharmacies being too close to each other, it’s just a matter of complying with planning rules set by councils,” he said.
“They’re entitled to set up wherever they like.”
Chemist Warehouse revealed this week it would be opening in the new Estella shopping centre next year after nearly a decade attempting to secure a presence in Wagga.
In order to get around the location rules that had effectively blocked Chemist Warehouse from coming to Wagga, the chain purchased the Estella Pharmacy and plans to rebrand it when it moves into the suburb’s new $13 million shopping centre.
Chemist Warehouse has built a following on offering medications at discounted prices not seen at typical pharmacies, but Mr McCormack said the city’s existing outlets offered a number of other key services and still needed support.
“People should remember that chemists are really key players in the whole health system and if we don’t use their services, we might lose their services,” he said.
“I just think we need to remember the role chemists play – their margins aren’t great and sometimes the services they provide they don’t charge for.”
Wagga Business Chamber president Tim Rose predicts Chemist Warehouse’s arrival will be good for the city’s consumers and the city’s existing pharmacies will adapt to the giant’s arrival.
“It’s something new and something they’re going to have to deal with,” he said.
“I’m supremely confident in the innovative abilities of our local pharmacies to be able to deal with Chemist Warehouse coming to town.”