Australian Electoral Commission figures released on February 1 show that in 2004-05 the Pharmacy Guild and pharmaceutical companies increased their donations to the NSW Labor government by almost $150,000, giving six times more than in the previous year, and tripled their donations to the federal Liberal Party.

According to NSW Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon, “This spike in donations follows a time when former Premier Carr planned to deregulate the NSW market for prescription drugs, opening the way for Woolworths and Coles Myer to enter the market. The Pharmacy Guild and big pharmaceutical companies lobbied to protect their profits and presumably upped donations accordingly.”

Kerry Smith

From Green Left Weekly, February 8, 2006.
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