Recall that Chemist Warehouse found a structure that let them operate in New Zealand despite pharmacy guild regulations that had seemed aimed to block such entry.
The pharmacists are having another tilt at it.
In Australia, a pharmacy that wanted to fill prescriptions could not set up within 200m, 1.5km or 10km of an existing pharmacy depending on whether it was in a shopping centre, suburb, or town.
Community pharmacists were calling for similar regulations here, warning if nothing changes, the community bond that came from knowing every customer by name could be a thing of the past.
Right.
"Hello, I am the owner of the local pub, where everybody knows your name. I worry about the potential entry of a new pub in a 10km radius, not because of its effect on my profitability!, but because it would erode the community bond that comes of having a single pub where everyone goes and where everyone knows your name. Please ban any such entry. Thank you."
And repeat for the local dentist. Or the local greengrocer. Heck, even the local bank. Could roll this one out for all kinds of things.
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