Abbott to sell Medibank

[i-need-a-martini]

There goes the benchmark that keeps our insurance premiums at a decent level.

I don't even understand why this is even necessary given that Medibank makes a profit? It's as if decisions are being made without any thought goig into it other than they promised to do it in 2007 so this is their way of punishing voters for not voting for them in at that time.

What other reason could there be?

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-moves-towards-medibank-private-selloff-...

[the_hawk*]

---

@icyfroth wrote:

Sorry Hawk, but in light of the recent revelations regarding misappropriation of funds (Craig Thomson), backroom deals (Barangaroo contracts) and standover tactics (yes, by your precious bikie gangs) of the unions, I think the public would be very disappointed if there wasn't some sort of enquiry.

---

😮

the inquiry needs to start at the top

remember

"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

[freakiness]

---

@icyfroth wrote:

---

@freakiness wrote:

Why bring board rooms into a discussion about the sale of Medicare then?

What board rooms are you talking about?

The IPA ones where Rupert and friends decide what they want from the puppet they installed as PM?

---

Why, because you don't know the answer?

Can't you see anything wrong with private board room deals to sell public assetts?

[icyfroth]

---

@tall_bearded wrote:

How on earth does selling off profitable assets stop the rot?  Instead one would think that retaining them would assist in paying of the debt.

O fgs. The rot comment had nothing to do with selling off assets . Not directly anyway.

Am3  simply responded, as an aside, to my comment that we were in deep debt, with " we seem to have plenty of money for royal commisions" to which I responded "you have to stop the rot sometime".

Read back won't you.

The facts are, that at no point in time, and under no circumstances has selling off a public sector enterprise ever  resulted in the customer (us) being better off, and history is about to repeat itself.

Well we know that.

I'm not defending it.

I'm saying it didn't start with this government, in fact was initiated by the Hawke/Keating government and carried on by subsequent governments. Now Mr Abbott is following the same course.

The short-sighted labbies here would like to see it as as an new thing instigated by our current government.

---

[icyfroth]

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@icyfroth wrote:

Sorry Hawk, but in light of the recent revelations regarding misappropriation of funds (Craig Thomson), backroom deals (Barangaroo contracts) and standover tactics (yes, by your precious bikie gangs) of the unions, I think the public would be very disappointed if there wasn't some sort of enquiry.

---

😮

the inquiry needs to start at the top

remember

"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

---

Fine. Let it start at the top. Craig Thomson was a good start.

[the_hawk*]

---

@icyfroth wrote:

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@icyfroth wrote:

Sorry Hawk, but in light of the recent revelations regarding misappropriation of funds (Craig Thomson), backroom deals (Barangaroo contracts) and standover tactics (yes, by your precious bikie gangs) of the unions, I think the public would be very disappointed if there wasn't some sort of enquiry.

---

😮

the inquiry needs to start at the top

remember

"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

---

Fine. Let it start at the top. Craig Thomson was a good start.

---

no it sound start higher, like with Tony and deal deals done to get the media on side.

do you really believe the only coruption is from the middle down?

[pixie-six]

"Hello Everyone! This topic is getting a little heated, please remember to be civil towards each other and respect opinions. Thanks!"

[cherry*135]

---

@tall_bearded wrote:

How on earth does selling off profitable assets stop the rot?  Instead one would think that retaining them would assist in paying of the debt.

The facts are, that at no point in time, and under no circumstances has selling off a public sector enterprise ever  resulted in the customer (us) being better off, and history is about to repeat itself.

---

I agree.

For those that bandy about 3 word slogans.. they don't explain anything.

[icyfroth]

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@icyfroth wrote:

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@icyfroth wrote:

Sorry Hawk, but in light of the recent revelations regarding misappropriation of funds (Craig Thomson), backroom deals (Barangaroo contracts) and standover tactics (yes, by your precious bikie gangs) of the unions, I think the public would be very disappointed if there wasn't some sort of enquiry.

---

😮

the inquiry needs to start at the top

remember

"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

---

Fine. Let it start at the top. Craig Thomson was a good start.

---

no it sound start higher, like with Tony and deal deals done to get the media on side.

do you really believe the only coruption is from the middle down?

---

It could start with a bit further back too...like before the current government came into power.

[the_hawk*]

selling assets is so short sighted, to me its no different to taking a redundency package that gives you two years worth of wages in a lump sum, seems great at the time but what happens after two years when the money is gone and you still dont have an income and you still have debts.

[the_hawk*]

---

@icyfroth wrote:

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@icyfroth wrote:

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@icyfroth wrote:

Sorry Hawk, but in light of the recent revelations regarding misappropriation of funds (Craig Thomson), backroom deals (Barangaroo contracts) and standover tactics (yes, by your precious bikie gangs) of the unions, I think the public would be very disappointed if there wasn't some sort of enquiry.

---

😮

the inquiry needs to start at the top

remember

"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

---

Fine. Let it start at the top. Craig Thomson was a good start.

---

no it sound start higher, like with Tony and deal deals done to get the media on side.

do you really believe the only coruption is from the middle down?

---

It could start with a bit further back too...like before the current government came into power.

---

Thats fine, you have to remember that corruption can only exist in a corrupt system and that starts at the top.

no point cleening up the effects when the cause is still there