Diary of our stinking opposition

Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh shifts position on previous support for a GP fee

Labor's shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh was once a strong supporter of a compulsory fee for visits to the doctor - a policy now slammed by the opposition as a “GP tax” that would hurt the community’s most vulnerable.

 

But in a 2003 Sydney Morning Herald article Dr Leigh, then a PhD student in economics at Harvard University, argued a Medicare co-payment was “hardly a radical idea”.

 

“As health researchers have shown, cost-less medical care means that people go to the doctor even when they don't need to, driving up the cost for all of us," Dr Leigh and co-author Richard Holden wrote.

 

“But there's a better way of operating a health system, and the change should hardly hurt at all.

 

“As economists have shown, the ideal model involves a small co-payment - not enough to put a dent in your weekly budget, but enough to make you think twice before you call the doc."

 

Dr Leigh argued the fee should be enough to deter “frivolous GP visits”, but not enough to limit genuine preventive care. The fee should apply to everyone, including pensioners, except those who are chronically ill, he wrote.

 

Dr Leigh, who has opposed the proposal in media appearances over recent weeks, told Fairfax Media: "Since 2003, a lot has changed in the health care system, and I've changed my view on co-payments.

 

 “A GP co-payment was originally a Hawke government proposal led by Brian Howe, a member of the Left faction,” he said.

 

“As long as it is applied fairly across the community, a co-payment is a perfectly valid policy measure. If Andrew Leigh, before he had to toe the party line, recognised that then I welcome his contribution to the debate. I respect Andrew Leigh as a sensible economist.”

 

On Saturday, Dr Leigh, a former professor of economics at the Australian National University, distanced himself from an article he wrote in 2004 supporting fee deregulation for universities – another policy opposed by Labor.

 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-frontbencher-andrew-leigh-shifts-positio...

 

Yes, it’s the very well respected ALP whey-faced Dr Andrew Leigh who virtually declared his previous books and speeches as mere works of fiction. This brings into sharp focus Dr Leigh's economics degree.

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Re: Diary of our stinking opposition

maybe the faceless men are ghosts??   Woman LOL

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@debra9275 wrote:

I don't know who these faceless men are either, on last nights news, they were reporting that the Labor party fully supported Shorten.

 

the only people I've seen calling for him to step down are the Murdoch press, the LNP, an ex Labor party  person (Bob Hogg) and I think Laurie Oakes


This Bob Hogg?    Smiley LOL

 

In 1991 Hogg was placed on a AU$1000 six-month good-behaviour bond for failing as the National Secretary to declare donations to the Australian Labor Party in the lead up to the 1990 election. The total of the donations was reported as $143,000 consisting of muliple amounts each of a value less than $1000.

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yes that one  Woman LOL

 

we really need a federal ICAC into political donations and slush funds, but I mean all parties, not just unions, mining companies, tobacco companies, media, mafia etc. etc.  both LNP and Labor

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@debra9275 wrote:

maybe the faceless men are ghosts??   Woman LOL


If so, they're certainly spooking the Labor Party.

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are they??  that's not been my observation- only the murdoch press are saying that

 

 

  a lot people are calling for Barnaby Joyce to step down though, he's under quite a bit of pressure, but I doubt that he will

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http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/royal-commission-bill-shorten-accused-of-confl...

 

 

check out the poll in here, the numbers are very similar to the polls we see every week, with labor in front.... so I don't think it's made any difference

 

 

the next set of polls should be interesting

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Re: Diary of our stinking opposition

moonflyte
Community Member

Keeping Bill will be like keeping Rudd or Gillard, a train wreck waiting to happen,  the Labor party know this but they are paralysed to act unless there's another midnight assassination and Bills right wing union is too powerful to cross.

 

They are stuck between a rock and a waffler. Will Albanese's hard left take the initiative and try to pry themselves loose of the loser? who knows but its interesting to watch.

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 I don't think it really matters if Shorten steps aside or not

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Re: Diary of our stinking opposition


@djlukjilly wrote:

Keeping Bill will be like keeping Rudd or Gillard, a train wreck waiting to happen,  the Labor party know this but they are paralysed to act unless there's another midnight assassination and Bills right wing union is too powerful to cross.

 

They are stuck between a rock and a waffler. Will Albanese's hard left take the initiative and try to pry themselves loose of the loser? who knows but its interesting to watch.


In the words of Simon Benson, editor of the DT:  they can't afford to repeat another Rudd/Gillard/Rudd, he's their worst best option so they're prepared to carry his baggage to the next election.

 

 

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are they?? the editor of the DT would know for sure  Woman LOL

 

those "faceless" men must've told him-maybe it came to him in a dream??

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