Diary of our stinking Govt.

[boris1gary]

As it's more than 100 days now, it has been suggested that a new thread was needed.  The current govt has been breaking promises and telling lies at a rate so fast it's hard to keep up.

This below is worrying, "independent" pffft, as if your own doctor is somehow what? biased, it's ridiculous. So far there is talk of only including people under a certain age 30-35, for now. Remember that if your injured in a car, injured at work or get ill, you too might need to go on the DSP. They have done a similar think in the UK with devastating consequences.

and this is the 2nd time recently where the Govt has referred to work as welfare???? So when you go to work tomorrow (or tuesday), just remember that's welfare.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-20/disability-pensioners-may-be-reassessed-kevin-andrews/5400598

Independent doctors could be called in to reassess disability pensioners, Federal Government says

The Federal Government is considering using independent doctors to examine disability pensioners and assess whether they should continue to receive payments.

Currently family doctors provide reports supporting claims for the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

But Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews is considering a measure that would see independent doctors reassess eligibility.

"We are concerned that where people can work, the best form of welfare is work," Mr Andrews said at a press conference.

[polksaladallie]

The newest idea is for pharmacies to deliver more health care so that governments can lower health costs.

What would you be comfortable letting someone at the pharmacy do that doctors do?

I am well aware that pharmacists are better qualified (than doctors) to choose drugs, although they are under the same pressure from drug companies to push certain drugs. 

Pharmacy can help deliver better health outcomes and a more sustainable Medicare

• Enhancing access to prescription repeats for stable, long term conditions
• Extending the treatment of minor ailments to community pharmacies
• Improving access to vaccinations
• Post hospital and transitional care medicine reconciliation support
• Basic health checks, screening and preventative health services
• Mental health support

http://www.guild.org.au/news-page/2015/01/18/pharmacy-can-help-deliver-better-health-outcomes-and-a-...

[cherry*135]

Signs of mutiny on the Good Ship Abbott

We've known for some time that the Good Ship Abbott was in trouble, partly because it was constructed using shonky policies and shattered expectations, but also because it was steered with the reckless abandon that comes from political hubris mixed with a misguided sense of entitlement.

The summer break provided an opportunity to put the ship in dry dock, replace the defective policies and adjust the political navigation system. At least that was the point of Tony Abbott's "reset" press conference and the ministry reshuffle conducted late last year.

However, it would appear that no such reset actually took place. Instead Abbott pressed on, continuing to make poor political decisions like the no-media visit to Iraq while bushfires raged in three Australian states, and even worse policy decisions like the unannounced $20 cut to the Medicare rebate.

Now a leak about the Medicare cut from the Cabinet's expenditure review committee over the weekend suggests hope is fading fast for HMAS Abbott to be successfully refloated, and that the decks are being cleared for a regime change.

Ministers are already jostling to be in the new leadership line-up, and the weekend's leak flags that Joe Hockey, the one-time heir-apparent but now only the beleaguered Treasurer, wants to be back in contention. It would also appear Hockey is unafraid to tarnish the PM's reputation while seeking to rehabilitate his own.

Read more

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-19/matthewson-signs-of-mutiny-on-the-good-ship-abbott/6024180

[debra9275]

oh no not Hockey lol

it will be interesting to see what happens next. I don't expect the LNP to lose Qld as it would take a huge 11% swing against them to remove them from govt. but if the libs do get a trouncing, that could well be the last nail in Abbott's coffin

[boris1gary]

well said

[debra9275]

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/joe-hockey-raises-prospect-of-australians-l...

Joe Hockey raises prospect of Australians living until 150 to justify budget cuts

Treasurer Joe Hockey has raised the prospect of people living until 150 to explain why Australians should accept cuts to government benefits and pay a greater share of their health costs.

what the??? 

this is one very desperate govt. caught up in a web of their own lies

[gleee58]

The Treasurer said his five-year old son had broken his leg over the Christmas break. Although his son attended multiple consultations and X-rays, Mr Hockey only had to contribute $40 to pay for a waterproof cast.

"That is wrong," Mr Hockey said, noting he is a high income earner who could afford to contribute more.

These people don't seem to have even a basic understanding of what they're trying to destroy.

High income earners do pay more to medicare by paying a higher medicare levy, unless they're minimising their tax down to the bare minimum in which case the tax system should be fixed not medicare.

Wasn't the co-payment to be imposed for GP and specialist services?  Or did it sneak into A&E as well?

[cherry*135]

---

@debra9275 wrote:

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/joe-hockey-raises-prospect-of-australians-l...

Joe Hockey raises prospect of Australians living until 150 to justify budget cuts

Treasurer Joe Hockey has raised the prospect of people living until 150 to explain why Australians should accept cuts to government benefits and pay a greater share of their health costs.

what the??? 

this is one very desperate govt. caught up in a web of their own lies

---

On my, fairy tales now.

If Joe Hockey feels bad he was only required to shell out $40 gap for his son's treatment, PublicHospitals always welcome DONATIONS from the wealthy.

$40 to someone on newstart could be the bulk of their weeks grocery money.

[cherry*135]

Does this Govt forget taxpayers pay a Medicare Levy (except low income earners)?

They need to overhaul the whole system in a considered non-political way ( not some knee jerk fee idea dreamt up in a hurry before Christmas hols).  Instead of still taking taxpayers money to go towards Medicare AND trying to slug same people extra fees.

If the medicare levy doesn't bring in enough.. then the levy fails.. they need to look at the whole picture.

[boris1gary]

Yes Hockey is back from his rather long break and kicks off the new year with another bit of nonsense, what a fool. Just because it seems that Bronwyn Bishop has lived to 150 he thinks we all will...hahahahahahahahahahahahahhhhhahaahahahhaa.....now I just waiting for the LyingNP push for a retirement age of 147.