Abbott/Liberal Govt Watch

[Strawb]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... 6271609275
TONY Abbott has pledged to axe Labor's means test on the 30 per cent private health insurance rebate if he wins government, adding $2.4 billion to his budget savings task.

[Hellboy]

On the face of it, it wont cost me any more.
Problem is, if people do leave, there will be less of us to subsidise the elderly who use the system at a massive loss
And the stress on the public system from all of the new walk ins? It is shite now. 4 hours if you've had a heart attack. 5 years for a knee op
That's where the ideology, and their entire argument, breaks down.
These idiots will never learn
Bring everyone DOWN to a common low denominator instead of trying to take everyone up

[Q.]

Nevertheless, it's important to help the wealthy. At least Abbott is sticking to his and Howard's principles

[story of my life]

Nevertheless, it's important to help the wealthy. At least Abbott is sticking to his and Howard's principles

[once_were_warriors]

Agree with the removal of the rebate , would like to see the savings go straight back into the public system but thats not what it is being done for.

Disagree with the additional levy if you don't have private health cover. You already pay the medicare levy and therefore should'nt be flogged again because you don't have private health.


3 years ago my wife had private health , I didn't.

I accepted that i would have to pay the additional levy on my salary however we also had to pay it on my wife's salary even though she had private health cover.

So we payed for private health for my wife and the extra 1% on both our incomes, ridiculous

[Hellboy]

Nevertheless, it's important to help the wealthy. At least Abbott is sticking to his and Howard's principles

Depends what you think is wealthy

The good thing is the waiting lines at public hospitals will grow longer and Labor's grass roots will suffer the most
Hey, but so what? Look at those extra people in the line. At least they now have to suffer with us
Lowest common denominator
Enjoy it

[Psyber]

I agree in principle that those on huge incomes do not need the subsidy on private health insurance.

What worries me is where the ALP will ultimately decide the transition point is at some future date - $20K per annum anyone?
After all many of its members oppose any subsidy for anyone, and indeed oppose the existence of private health care system at all.

To understand the underlying sub-text one needs to know the history.

The Medicare levy from its inception under Gough Whitlam as the "Medibank" levy was never enough to fund the scheme.
It was a token to suggest to the public that free public health care could be delivered economically, while the Whitlam government worked behind the scene to achieve a UK style NHS which would allow them to control costs by rationing health care, as in the UK.

When they failed to achieve this objective, and public desire for free anything meant it could not be scrapped by the succeeding government, various patch ups were developed to keep it alive. The tax levy, on those who did not pay extra for health care by taking out private cover and reducing the load on the public system, came about to, in effect, increase the Medicare levy to what it needed to be in the first place to sustain the system. The benefit of moving the load to the private sector was then why the subsidy to private health cover came about later to keep that solution alive as private insurance costs rose.

We had a more affordable and functional system before the Whitlam government came to power, but it did not allow the government the degree of control the bureaucrats wanted.
As I've said before, under the old system, my father, who was a railway worker, could afford to be a member of two private funds and claim his bills from both!

I agree this was a bit over the top as it enabled that ordinary worker to be subsidised twice by the federal government.
But it was affordable and efficient in terms of getting prompt medical care without long waiting lists.

[dedja]

Abbott cranking up his wrecking ball ... apparently all of Australia's problems are caused by the carbon tax, even when the companies that are downsizing have clearly stated that the carbon tax isn't the cause.

[Q.]

[Bully]

tony abbott will be pissed at the reason for the public holiday on monday (Labour day) ...yes i know whats its for and its spelt different before anyone says anything, but im sure tony will love to call it LNP day or something

[southee]

Abbott cranking up his wrecking ball ... apparently all of Australia's problems are caused by the carbon tax, even when the companies that are downsizing have clearly stated that the carbon tax isn't the cause.

Not all companies are blaming the carbon Tax ...but there are some that are on "tender hooks" waiting for the cost of it and how it will affect them.

Weird feeling out there ATM.

[Squawk]

tony abbott will be pissed at the reason for the public holiday on monday (Labour day) ...yes i know whats its for and its spelt different before anyone says anything, but im sure tony will love to call it LNP day or something

Labour Day here in SA is on October 1.

Do we really need a public holiday to celebrate the 8 hour day? (Or the Queen's birthday, Easter Saturday or Adelaide Cup Day?). We don't have a public holiday for Rememberance Day, for example.

South Australia 2012Mon, 02 Jan 2012 New Year's Day
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 Australia Day
Mon, 12 Mar 2012 Adelaide Cup
Fri, 06 Apr 2012 Good Friday Sat, 07 Apr 2012 Easter Saturday Mon, 09 Apr 2012 Easter Monday
Wed, 25 Apr 2012 Anzac Day
Mon, 11 Jun 2012 Queen’s Birthday Mon, 11 Jun 2012 Volunteer's Day
Mon, 01 Oct 2012 Labour Day
Tue, 25 Dec 2012 Christmas Day
Wed, 26 Dec 2012 Proclamation Day

[Q.]

Need more public holidays, not less. Or just give us a four-day working week

[The Sleeping Giant]

Libs can add another public holiday and call it whatever they want.

[Gozu]

WorkChoices Day? To celebrate productivity ironically declining under WorkChoices.

[Bully]

tony abbott will be pissed at the reason for the public holiday on monday (Labour day) ...yes i know whats its for and its spelt different before anyone says anything, but im sure tony will love to call it LNP day or something

Labour Day here in SA is on October 1.

Do we really need a public holiday to celebrate the 8 hour day? (Or the Queen's birthday, Easter Saturday or Adelaide Cup Day?). We don't have a public holiday for Rememberance Day, for example.

South Australia 2012Mon, 02 Jan 2012 New Year's Day
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 Australia Day
Mon, 12 Mar 2012 Adelaide Cup
Fri, 06 Apr 2012 Good Friday Sat, 07 Apr 2012 Easter Saturday Mon, 09 Apr 2012 Easter Monday
Wed, 25 Apr 2012 Anzac Day
Mon, 11 Jun 2012 Queen’s Birthday Mon, 11 Jun 2012 Volunteer's Day
Mon, 01 Oct 2012 Labour Day
Tue, 25 Dec 2012 Christmas Day
Wed, 26 Dec 2012 Proclamation Day

im in Queensland mate, Labour day public holiday is monday next week here 7/5/12

and you odviously dont work part/full time as it seems your complaining about public holidays as if someone who works full time/part time and complains about being allowed to sit at home or have a day off and get FULL pay then something must be wrong. Why complain about having a day off and being paid for it without using annual leave or sick pay???

the fact is, we should have all these public holidays and also as you say, have public holidays for remeberance day etc. the more the better

[Psyber]

Nevertheless, it's important to help the wealthy. At least Abbott is sticking to his and Howard's principles

I don't think the reduction of subsidy to high income earners is an issue - especially since I'm not in that group!
However, I am concerned it is the beginning of a plan to remove all subsidy.
Nothing suits a government better than a system, like the UK's NHS, where they can control the budget by rationing health care for non-fatal conditions.
It helps if there is no private system to show what could be expected instead.

I know at least a few pensioners who are keeping up their private health cover after discovering how long they had to wait for treatment in the public system in the past.
It's fine if you turn up in public as an emergency case, but if you have a chronic, non-fatal, but disabling, condition you have to learn to live with it rather than have it fixed.

[Grahaml]

tony abbott will be pissed at the reason for the public holiday on monday (Labour day) ...yes i know whats its for and its spelt different before anyone says anything, but im sure tony will love to call it LNP day or something

Let me guess, you're a Labor voter. Always have been, always will be and barrack for them election after election. If so, please refrain from commenting and surrender your vote. Anyone who thinks one party will always be the best, regardless of policy, ability and personnel deserves no say.

[Bully]

tony abbott will be pissed at the reason for the public holiday on monday (Labour day) ...yes i know whats its for and its spelt different before anyone says anything, but im sure tony will love to call it LNP day or something

Let me guess, you're a Labor voter. Always have been, always will be and barrack for them election after election. If so, please refrain from commenting and surrender your vote. Anyone who thinks one party will always be the best, regardless of policy, ability and personnel deserves no say.

before you have a rant, I never said i supported labor in anyway??? Please advise where i said this?I said this as a joke in actually fact, and you can be sure, i have NEVER voted labor. But i dont need to tell a person like you what i do, and you dont need to tell me what to do either!!

So maybe before you have a dig,or a rant , or tell me what is right in your eyes,or mouthing off, maybeget your facts straight CHAMP

[FlyingHigh]

tony abbott will be pissed at the reason for the public holiday on monday (Labour day) ...yes i know whats its for and its spelt different before anyone says anything, but im sure tony will love to call it LNP day or something

Let me guess, you're a Labor voter. Always have been, always will be and barrack for them election after election. If so, please refrain from commenting and surrender your vote. Anyone who thinks one party will always be the best, regardless of policy, ability and personnel deserves no say.

I reckon 2/3 of Australis do this, and if they didn't we wouldn't have "strongholds" or "safe seats" towards one party or the other. How many people in country areas vote LNP because that's the done thing. I also suspect many of our "big business" leaders do the same.
FWIW I agree with you, and I have voted both in the past.