The ABC has included Pharmacy Guild president George Tambassis in its list of “10 of the most powerful Australians you’ve likely never heard of”.
Mr Tambassis was listed alongside the PM’s chief of staff Dr John Kunkel, chief executive of ClubsNSW Anthony Ball and the chief executive of Racing NSW Peter V’landys, among others.
He has been the president of the Guild for nearly six years, leading the organisation into the current sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, with negotiations set to begin this year for the 7CPA.
The ABC highlights that the Guild represents pharmacy business owners across every electorate, and with the ear of the elderly, “this means they have the potential to run very effective campaigns”.
The member organisation was also highlighted for its efforts to stave off supermarket pharmacies in Australia.
“George Tambassis is the national president of the guild, which has seen off successive attempts to make community pharmacies more competitive,” write Richard Aedy and Eleni Psaltis for the ABC.
“The guild has also successfully resisted moves to restrict the sale of natural and complementary medicines in pharmacies, or at least to display them in a designated place within the pharmacy.”
Source: ajp.com.au