8 March 2021 - In these times of heightened sensitivities, is it time the folks in Canberra got called out for bad behaviour?

We all have stories where the Department has used its monopsonistic power to extract lower prices and the like from pharmaceutical companies, often without notice and a very limited time in which to respond. I suspect most have acquiesced in fear.

Repeated successful use of its monopsonistic power will undoubtedly embolden a monopsonist to go further. The ACCC would be all over excessive use of monopsonistic power in the private sector. How does one monitor and curtail the use of excessive use of power when the monopsonist is the Government?

Maybe its time for somebody to collect all of these examples in an anonymous manner with a view to determining whether the Department of Health is guilty of coercive control.  There would be no need to give the whole game away; just enough information for an independent auditor to review the situation in a meaningful way.

Would pharmaceutical companies be willing to provide limited information to a third party? Would there be any legal barriers in doing this? What are your thoughts on this? Let me know.