Federal government to shelve $7 GP co-payment policy

[cherry*135]

Hahaha losers. Joe Hockey should be kicked to the curb for his FAILED Budget measures. What a stupid, stupid, ill-conceived idea that was.

Federal government to shelve $7 GP co-payment policy

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has privately conceded defeat on his controversial budget proposal to introduce a new $7 co-payment on bulk-billed GP visits and will formally shelve the policy before the end of the year.

The decision is a recognition of the reality that it had no chance of progressing through a hostile Senate in the face of trenchant opposition from Labor, the Greens, and a majority of the crossbench.

It represents a clearing-away of the first and perhaps biggest political "barnacle" clinging to the hull of the government ship – a description Mr Abbott used earlier in the week to describe policies causing resistance to the Coalition in public opinion polls.

But it may not be the last barnacle.  

Mr Abbott's own signature paid parental leave scheme will be targeted by senior government figures as another prime candidate for a haircut as the government prepares for a dire mid-year budget statement in December, and looks to rebuild its damaged reputation with voters going into 2015.

Until now, the Prime Minister has let it be known he is not for turning.

But some ministers believe the time might be right to reapply pressure on their leader to consider a significant scaling back of the $5.5 billion non-means-tested program – which is yet to be legislated – arguing it is a luxury that cannot be afforded, and that it is a major to the political message of fiscal restraint.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/federal-government-to-shelve-7-gp-copayment...

[boris1gary]

excellent news

the barnacle chronicles

[cherry*135]

[pct001wine]

I wonder if abbott will re-convene the G20 to tell them of this tragedy.  I mean, if it was good enough for him to tell these world leaders about it in the first place, it must be good enough to tell them that it was canned.

I am sure the press will call the decision "political pragmatism" or something similar, I will call it for what it is - a divisive, kick-the-poor-in-the-backside, ill though-out "policy" decision.

[cherry*135]

He should, shouldn't he? Admit to the internatonal stage that he was backing a loser with that idea.

[debra9275]

[boris1gary]

seems to be some confusion - shock - abbott says 1 thing, abetzz and dutton say another

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2014/nov/27/medicare-co-payment-could-bypass-senate-p...

This morning the Medicare co-payment is the main dish on our political smorgasbord. On our fifth last sitting day of the year, the government is still struggling to get major parts of its budget passed in the parliament. After wild speculation that the $7 co-payment was going to be declared a barnacle and scraped, the main messages coming through this morning are:

• The co-payment is still government policy.
• The government is considering bypassing the senate and introducing it by regulation.

Government leader in the senate Eric Abetz has already said this morning it remains government policy.

Health minister Peter Dutton said this morning it will not be dumped and all options are on the table. This was the question to Dutton this morning.

The Government has not dumped the Medicare co-payment, (so) you’re doing to do it by regulation?

Remember the government put petrol indexation through by regulation earlier this year as a result of a senate impasse.

Notwithstanding the PM’s comments that in politics, “there are no fair measures”, we must address the grumbling within the Coalition party room about the government’s performance.

Liberal senator Ian Macdonald has been on Sky this morning ever-so-gently suggesting that the prime minister’s office is not consulting with party members.

He said there have been some decisions at the top “without a great deal of consultation”.

[boris1gary]

lies, lies and more lies - just another day of this lying govt - maybe they think everything is free because they don't pay for anything.