From Paola Totaro

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In the weeks since, I’ve felt a powerful urge to shout at the Brits: “Do you know what an extraordinary health system you have? How civilized your society is to afford everyone, rich, poor, young and old a world class health safety net?”

Back with my GP the following week, I said something similar and this chronically over worked, brisk wonderful woman stopped and rummaged in her drawer: “Look at this,” she said showing me the latest British Medical Journal, “The NHS tops the world’s health systems in a comparison of 11 developed nations ... it tops it! And nobody reports it, nobody says a word. Of course we have problems, all systems do but when things go right – which they do more often than not – silence!”.

Well, here I am not only saying something but shouting it publicly and loudly: wake up British taxpayers, wake up and appreciate – and protect – what you have built with such vision since the NHS’s birth in 1948.

And Aussies? Please, please don’t ignore the possibility that the proposed GP co-payment, sold as a measure to slash the mounting cost of health* care driven, won’t just get hiked over and over again - and the Medicare that you know and do love won’t just disappear before your eyes.

read more: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/13/brits-dont-be-fooled-the-nhs-is-brilliant-and-aussies-dont-let-your-guard-down

* Paola, Gus here: the co-payment is to fund medical research... ahahahahah... Actually it's going to be bundled in an investment fund, then the interest would be used to fund medical research... MOSTLY PRIVATE MEDICAL RESEARCH (through "charitable" donations)... Yes, the CSIRO and other public research programs are being decimated by Joe's crazy budget...

Clive Palmer has sent mixed messages about the possibility of a compromise deal on the government’s proposed $7 Medicare co-payment, emphasising that his concerns were about the impact on pensioners and vulnerable groups.

The Palmer United party leader met the treasurer, Joe Hockey, on Tuesday night and appeared to leave the door open to considering an alternative plan by the Australian Medical Association, which is believed to have suggested exemptions or greater protections for pensioners and concession-card holders.

The meeting occurred after the health minister, Peter Dutton, said the government was “seriously having a look” at the AMA’s alternative and most of the debate was “about whether or not particular groups of people are eligible for exemption”.

Palmer is key to the government’s chances of securing the Medicare co-payment because Labor and the Greens oppose it as a matter of principle. It therefore cannot pass the Senate without the PUP senators’ support. The PUP leader had previously ruled out a compromise deal.

But in an interview with the ABC on Wednesday, Palmer laid out his concern about the impact: “What’s wrong with the co-payment is the fact it hits so many poor people and it makes their condition a lot worse.

read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/13/clive-palmer-sends-mixed-signals-on-medicare-co-payment

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A caring Palmer?... If he cared that much he would reject the policy outright... He might do that... but should he give one inch to Joe Hockey, it's the slow slide towards the destruction of Medicare...

And by the way, who paid for Joe Hockey going to Brisbane to meet Clive? Is is legitimate government business that the tax payers should foot the bill for what is a rotten policy "knock on Clive's door"? No effing way... This is a rort. (Canberraleanum in the Toon is of course Brisbane-displaced)

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has challenged key crossbenchers to provide alternative savings that "stack up", as he opens up the possibility of "adjustments" in budget negotiations.

Three months since handing down its first budget, the Government has failed to win enough support for measures such as the $7 GP co-payment, its dramatic restructuring of the tertiary sector and family benefit cuts.

On the weekend Mr Abbott said he was confident that with "an adjustment here, perhaps with an adjustment there, the vast majority of our budget measures will get through".

But the Government has not outlined what those changes might be and the Prime Minister says he will stick to the budget's "fundamentals".

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-18/abbott-challenges-senators-for-budget-alternatives/5677302

Very good... So in the spirit of challenging others to do your job, you should let Palmer take over the government budget, you should resign for making a meal of it... Throwing a "challenge" to cross-benchers show you're an idiot of daily growing proportion: YOU ARE THE GEEZER in charge! Do something. Think!... er er er hum er...... YOU DON'T THINK MUCH UNLESS YOU HAVE TO PUNCH SOMEBODY, do you?...  As an idiot you have no clue what to do next but bash poor people in the ground... You have plenty of options left, including placing your hands in the pockets of miners and all others rich dudes who pay little tax in this country... Soon your coffers would be over-flowing with cash without having to rob a single poor. 

The Federal Government is abandoning a centrepiece of its May budget, the $7 GP co-payment.

It is one of several measures swept up in what Prime Minister Tony Abbott is calling "a barnacle-clearing" exercise to remove policies slowing the Government's momentum through its second year in office.

Sources have told ABC that the Coalition was "willing to go back to the drawing board".

The Government had not introduced legislation to enact the co-payment in the Lower House as it did not have sufficient support to pass the Senate.

The Coalition was also expected to make further changes to its $5.5 billion paid parental leave scheme, a signature policy for Mr Abbott.

The policy would pay new mothers their full salary for six months.

Mr Abbott had already watered down the scheme, lowering the maximum possible payment from $75,000 to $50,000.

Further changes were now in the works.

Government sources denied the scheme was one of the "barnacles" mentioned, but they had foreshadowed "further refinement".

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-26/gp-copayment-back-to-drawing-board/5918890

And to think that Tony Turdy made an international meal out of his now "abandoned" co-payment... But fear more, be vigilant until all the real dust is settled. Turdy has a few more tricks up his sleeves to make your life more miserable anyway... He wont relent... And should he become "reasonable" kick him in the guts anyway at the next election, because no matter what, HE LIES AND LIES AND LIES...