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-...

[monman12]

"Frankly, I don't care what paul Howes has to say about it?  He is just a lobbyist in a sea of lobbyists"

Gosh yet another chuckleworthy post!!

"Paul Howes (born 23 August 1981) is the National Secretary of The Australian Workers' Union, a position he has held since the age of 26. In 2008 Howes was elected as Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and he serves on a number of Government boards"

Then again one could possibly view trade union leaders as  nothing more than lobbyists, on their own behalf as they are from the ALP head office, the ACTU.

[spotweldersfriend]

Hey crikey.I'm doing manual work in the stinking heat after previously working in an air condition laboratory.Problem was,I wasn't on $120 or more per hour in the lab.

[freakiness]

---

@monman12 wrote:

"Frankly, I don't care what paul Howes has to say about it?  He is just a lobbyist in a sea of lobbyists"

Gosh yet another chuckleworthy post!!

"Paul Howes (born 23 August 1981) is the National Secretary of The Australian Workers' Union, a position he has held since the age of 26. In 2008 Howes was elected as Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and he serves on a number of Government boards"

Then again one could possibly view trade union leaders as  nothing more than lobbyists, on their own behalf as they are from the ALP head office, the ACTU.

---

In many ways a lobbyist is what he is.  

laugh (or chuckle) all you like. I won't deprive you of your jollies.

And thanks, but I already know who Paul Howes is..

BTW, the ACTU is not the ALP head office. 

[i-need-a-martini]

Monman - I think you will find that Paul Howes has political ambitions and has spent the last few years positioing himself to move into political life.

What he says means little.

[spotweldersfriend]

---

@monman12 wrote:

"Frankly, I don't care what paul Howes has to say about it?  He is just a lobbyist in a sea of lobbyists"

Gosh yet another chuckleworthy post!!

"Paul Howes (born 23 August 1981) is the National Secretary of The Australian Workers' Union, a position he has held since the age of 26. In 2008 Howes was elected as Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and he serves on a number of Government boards"

Then again one could possibly view trade union leaders as  nothing more than lobbyists, on their own behalf as they are from the ALP head office, the ACTU.

---

So does that mean the Liberals head offices are the IPA,the business and mining councils?Unions with a more exclusive. membership I might add.They representca minority of Australians.

[*crikey*mate*]

---

@spotweldersfriend wrote:
Hey crikey.I'm doing manual work in the stinking heat after previously working in an air condition laboratory.Problem was,I wasn't on $120 or more per hour in the lab.

---

yes, but you have a dream job, do road workers or factory workers have the same conditions as you?

besides, you need $120 for danger money - fighting off those snakes!

I didn't mean anything bad by my comment.

But factory work is a darn hard way to make a living,

[monman12]

"And thanks, but I already know who Paul Howes is.."

Well he certainly is not a lobbyist, check the Register of  Lobbyists,  because he is actually a senior trade union figure/leader.

"BTW, the ACTU is not the ALP head office. " Since when?  Don't forget that Canberra is also the retirement home of the ACTU and the two exist in a comfortable symbiotic relationship.

"Former Medibank Private chairman Paul McClintock has called the government’s ownership of the health insurer an “aberration” less than two weeks after leaving the job
Mr McClintock, who was chairman for six years, previously had not been able to express his views on whether the country’s largest health insurer should be sold.
“On the whole, the days of having government-owned enterprises in highly competitive markets is well and truly over and Medibank is an aberration,” Mr McClintock told The Australian Financial Review. "

He actually might know what he is talking about.

[spotweldersfriend]

I wasn't offended by any means:-) Factory work for the most part is monotonous.It's hard to be enthused when you're doing the same boring task,day in,day out. I know.I've done it.It's not just the snakes.I have to work with a knife that you could perform surgery with,so I have to concentrate all day.It makes the time fly.In a factory,time seems to stand still.

[amber-eyed-girl]

You can perform surgery with any knife spot, it's just that the patients find it easier with the sharp ones.

[freakiness]

---

@monman12 wrote:

"And thanks, but I already know who Paul Howes is.."

Well he certainly is not a lobbyist, check the Register of  Lobbyists,  because he is actually a senior trade union figure/leader.

"BTW, the ACTU is not the ALP head office. " Since when?  Don't forget that Canberra is also the retirement home of the ACTU and the two exist in a comfortable symbiotic relationship.

"Former Medibank Private chairman Paul McClintock has called the government’s ownership of the health insurer an “aberration” less than two weeks after leaving the job
Mr McClintock, who was chairman for six years, previously had not been able to express his views on whether the country’s largest health insurer should be sold.
“On the whole, the days of having government-owned enterprises in highly competitive markets is well and truly over and Medibank is an aberration,” Mr McClintock told The Australian Financial Review. "

He actually might know what he is talking about.

---

The comment was made in the same context as your 40% or Canberra is the ACTU retirement home. No, he's not literally a lobbyist although he does behave like one quite often.  

What's so wrong with the govt owning a profitable business?  

It's not negative that the govt own income generating businesses, except to those who wish to profit from said business themselves as individuals.