The voting public has been warned not to fall for Coalition 'spin' that they have no plans to sell-off Medicare.
Shadow minister for health and Ballarat MP Catherine King said the facts were undeniable.
"Medicare should never be privatised and I was shocked when I found out Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull have been planning to sell it. It looks like he was shocked when Labor found out too," Ms King said.
"Now that he has been caught out, Mr Turnbull has been blustering and denying everything and he is clearly very worried."
Ms King said if Mr Turnbull had no plans to sell Medicare why:
- Had the Coalition created a task force to make recommendations for how to prepare for a sale of Medicare. (1)
- Did the Coalition give a consulting firm $5 million to start the sale - who have received expressions of interest in the privatisation of Medicare from big banks, telecommunications companies, and even Northup Grumman (a multinational security company). (2)
- Did the Coalition ask the Productivity Commission to report on how to privatise government service delivery, including Medicare. (3)
It should be remembered that in 2004 the Coalition promised they were not going to make drastic changes to industrial relations laws and that Work Choices was not a 2004 Liberal party election policy. However, following the 2004 federal election, the Liberal-Nationalcoalitionheld a majority in both houses of parliament, and amendments were introduced into the House of Representatives on 2 November 2005. Remember WorkChoices.
1 Budget Paper No 2 2014-15, Market testing of the payment of health services by commercial payment service providers
2 Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, 6 May 2016 - p5
3 Productivity Commission Inquiries - Human Services
Newly-elected TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) Secretary John Berger spoke with a large number of bus delegates who attended the Bus Industry update at the Port Melbourne head office on Tuesday 21st June.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is proud to stand with 55 sacked maintenance workers at Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) today who are being forced to reapply for their own jobs but with a 65% wage cut.
The sacked workers at CUB have refused to bow to the unreasonable demands of management and maintained a 24-hour protest at the site in Abbottsford.
The ACTU challenges Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to visit the workers on the site and see first-hand the reality of life for skilled tradespeople under his government.
The uncertainty faced by workers at CUB is mirrored by workers across the country who have been waiting six months for Employment Minister Michaelia Cash to make good on her promise to announce the Coalition’s industrial relations policy before the election.
Among recommendations from the Abbott/Turnbull Government’s Productivity Commission are measures to make it easier for businesses to fire people and force them to reapply for their jobs at lower pay.
But until Minister Cash finally comes clean — with just days left before the election — Australian workers have no idea whether they will also face the same situation as the workers at CUB under a returned Coalition government.
ACTU secretary Dave Oliver said employers should invest in its people rather than forcing wages down and exploiting the insecurity and anxiety that it has created in its own workforce.
“Carlton & United Breweries is blatantly exploiting these skilled workers — they should never have been sacked and should be rehired under the conditions they were on,” he said.
”What is deeply concerning is that this is what the Federal Government’s Productivity Commission sees as an example of best practice.
“It is completely unacceptable that the Turnbull Government has not released such a central section of its policy platform this close to the election. Minister Cash needs to be upfront with the Australian people and tell the electorate whether she believes this is how workers should be treated.”
“This government must provide workers with a measure of certainty by announcing their industrial relations agenda immediately.”
The Federal election is on a knife-edge and a handful of seats will decide the victor. If the Coalition wins, this time next week they will be activating plans to dismantle Medicare.
A working doctor has recorded a video for the ACTU to explain why the country cannot afford to lose Medicare.
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Vote to save Medicare - Put the Liberals last With the Turnbull Government's deep health cuts it's getting harder for Doctors to care for their patients. We all rely on Medicare and bulk billing. |
Dr Meagher, who has no political party affiliations, has been a family GP for 40 years and has seen how important Medicare is right since its introduction.
"But with the Turnbull Government's health funding cuts deepening, it is getting harder to care for my patients," he said.
He also warned that, due to the cuts, many doctors will be forced to stop bulk-billing and he is concerned some people will simply stop going to the doctor because they can no longer afford visitation costs.
"We can make a difference. When you vote on July 2, save Medicare and, please, put the Liberals last."
Labor’s health policy at this election.
- Medicare will stay in public hands.
- The GP tax will be stopped.
- We will deliver extra hospital funding.
See our positive plans for health here.
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