medicare under the spotlight in Wills : Melbourne Indymedia

Report on the 'Which way forward for Medicare?', Public Meeting, Brunswick Town Hall, 15th September 2004.

Forty people attended a meeting at the Brunswick Town Hall to hear candidates for the seat of Wills outline their policy on Medicare. The Chair, Mark Higginbotham, Moreland Councillor, introduced the discussion, pointing out bulkbilling rates in Wills, as the rest of Australia, have been steadily declining over the last three years. Local residents face increasing costs for GP visits.

Four of the candidates for Wills addressed the meeting.

Rob Stone, Australian Democrats, outlined their key principles. All people have rights to health care. Access should depend on need not ability to pay. Immediate action is needed to improve the healht of indigenous Australians. An increased focus on prevention is needed.

David Glanz, standing for the Socialist Alliance pointed out that as bulk billing has decreased so have doctor's visits. In Wills there were 31,000 fewer visits in 2003 than is 2000. Australia needs a health system based on need not capacity to pay. SA is committed to improving access to dental treatment, mental health services and introducing a no fault health indemnity scheme. Public money should not subsidise private hospitals. Australia needs salaried doctors based in Community Health Centres.

Toby Archer from the Greens ephasised the important of a holistic approach. Key environment issues such as, clean air, clean water for good health, global warming impact on health. The Greens are committed to a public health system that is fair and equitable. The $2.5 billion subsidy to the private health insurance companies will be redirected to public health services. Howard's safety net is inefficient and inequitable.

The Democrats, Greens and Socialist Alliance are all committed to indexing the medicare levy.

Kelvin Thompson, the Labor Party candidate thanked the organisers and participants for contributing to the democratic process. Medicare is the envy of the world, he said. Health is essential to the ladder of opportunity. The ALP will create more nursed training places and increase the bulk billing rate by offering financial incentives to Doctors.

Blair Hamilton, Liberal Party candidate for Wills agreed to attend but cancelled shortly beforehand.

Other speakers included Tim Woodruff from the Doctors' Reform Society and Joe Toscano, National Convenor of Defend and Extend Medicare. Tim pointed out the inadaqucies of Howard's safety net. Many people cannot afford the $300 to $700 they would need to spend to reach the safety net. Patients are now dependent on the charity of the Doctor. The government is in the position to implement a fairer system.

It appears that the Liberal Party is reluctant to engage in debate about Medicare. The Liberal candidates for Wills, Deakin, Brisbane and Bowman have all declined invitations to debate health issues with other candidates. Blair Hamilton withdrew from a public debate in Wills. In Brisbane, The Democrats candidate, Dr Tracy Schrader, wants to debate health policies with the Liberal's high-profile candidate, former AMA Queensland president Dr Ingrid Tall. Dr Tall has not accepted the invitation. Brisbane has had the largest drop in bulk billing, in Australia, over the last 3 years.