quote:

The patient contributions were touted at budget time as saving $3.5 billion over five years - savings that were to be invested into a Medicare Research Future Fund.

PaletteSwappedNinja posted:

Just... what.

Gough Suppressant posted:

How can it be both a saving and invested into research you loving dunce.

Rapman the Cook posted:

$7 GP co-payment removed and replaced by: rebates to doctors for non concessional patients being cut by $5, which doctors can choose to recoup through and "optional" $5 co-payment.

$2 off and all responsibility removed from the Govt and put on the doctor.

Rapman the Cook posted:

$7 GP co-payment removed and replaced by: rebates to doctors for non concessional patients being cut by $5, which doctors can choose to recoup through and "optional" $5 co-payment.

$2 off and all responsibility removed from the Govt and put on the doctor.

Anidav posted:

Why the press hasn't crucified this and asylum seeker policy speaks volumes about the media in this country. In a perfect world these dinosaurs would be ignored.

Anidav posted:

Why the press hasn't crucified this and asylum seeker policy speaks volumes about the media in this country. In a perfect world these dinosaurs would be ignored.

Anidav posted:

homebrew posted:

Kevin Rudd $1.80

NTRabbit posted:

Final count has the Libs winning Fisher by 17 votes after 2pp, gently caress it

Mr Chips posted:

ECSA & ABC sites both have only 82% of votes counted.

NTRabbit posted:

Final count has the Libs winning Fisher by 17 votes after 2pp, gently caress it

NTRabbit posted:

I thought it was 100% counted from an 82% turnout. Phone posting from the cricket here

quote:

The Prime Minister's chief of staff appears to be keeping the option of a career in politics alive, saying she "has no intention of running for Parliament at this time".

This follows speculation within the Liberal Party that Peta Credlin will leave her role in Tony Abbott's office to take a seat in the Senate or House of Representatives ahead of the 2016 election.

Amid tensions between Mr Abbott's office and government MPs, it has been suggested that Ms Credlin could either take stood aside Assistant Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos' NSW Senate seat or Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews' safe Melbourne seat of Menzies in the event either retired - although neither have said they will retire.

Mr Andrews has said he intends to run again in 2016.

Despite being credited as the driving force behind Mr Abbott's successful bid for the prime ministership in 2013, Ms Credlin has come under continued criticism during the Coalition's time in government.

Some, such as Queensland senator Ian Macdonald, have publicly complained Ms Credlin is too controlling. Privately, ministers have also argued against the level of control Ms Credlin exercises over the government.

In response to questions from Fairfax Media about any plans Ms Credlin has to enter Parliament next year, a spokeswoman for Mr Abbott replied, "Peta Credlin has no intention of running for Parliament at this time - state or federal, House or Senate".

"No intention...at this time" is often used in politics to allow for wriggle room if needed in the future.

Ahead of the May budget, when a $7 GP co-payment was proposed, Mr Abbott and senior ministers including Peter Dutton and Julie Bishop repeatedly said the government had no plans for the co-payment.

Mr Abbott has dismissed suggestions there are any problems with the way his office is run, recently telling Parliament that Ms Credlin was "the fiercest political warrior I've ever worked with".

SadisTech posted:

Meanwhile in Queensland

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-09/seeney-removes-climate-change-references-from-council-plan/5954914

IF WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT IT WON'T HAPPEN OK? OK

ShoeFly posted:

I'm looking forward to this one

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/peta-credlin-leaves-tilt-at-parliament-open-but-not-at-this-time-20141209-123eul.html

quote:

One Victorian police officer has been sacked and three others disciplined over the death of a man in police custody who was ignored in his cell and then left in the rain.
[...]
Warning: Video below contains footage that some people may find distressing.
A Mandarin interpreter called to the police station told the inquest she saw Mr Tang "crawling out of that cell door like a dog with blood in his mouth".

Mr Tang was taken outside and left on the ground in the rain.

He died in hospital the next morning.

It was the interpreter who blew the whistle on his treatment by police leading up to his death.

"The vision is extraordinary," said deputy state coroner Iain West, in his finding released on Tuesday.

"No police officer offered or felt compelled to offer Mr Tang any assistance.

"This is confounding and deeply distressing to witness."

Haters Objector posted:

Good to see justice has been served, with three of the pigs being "demoted or placed on a good behaviour bond" for effectively killing a man in their custody.

Tgent posted:

Apparently the Greens have won Prahran!

Les Affaires posted:

The $5 was always the plan. They wanted to enshrine $7 in legislation as a $2 increase in overall payments to the doctors so they can recoup the cost of administering the fee.

Now they're not going to bother with enshrining it in legislation, just leave it to the doctors to work it out.

The AMA posted:

AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler, said today that the Government’s reworked co-payment model is a mixed bag, with welcome exemptions for vulnerable patients but concerns remain about cuts to the Medicare patient rebate.

A/Prof Owler said the AMA has been calling for protection for the poor, the elderly, the chronically ill, and Indigenous Australians – and this has been delivered with the new co-payment model.

“The AMA has led the debate on the unfairness of the Government’s original co-payment model since Budget night, and the Government has today addressed a number of our concerns,” A/Prof Owler said.

“We are pleased that concession card holders, children under 16, and residents of aged care facilities will not be subject to reduced Medicare rebates for general practitioner services.

“And we are happy that there will be no changes to Medicare rebates and bulk billing incentives for pathology and diagnostic imaging.

“However, we remain disappointed that rebates for GP services for everyone else will be cut by $5. This comes on top of a freeze on Medicare patient rebates until July 2018. This means that, by 2018, Medicare rebates for many services will have been frozen for almost six years, while inflation continues to rise.

“At a time when general practice is in need of significant new investment to cope with an ageing population and more people with chronic disease, today’s announcement represents a disinvestment in quality general practice.

“The Government claims it wants to ‘incentivise’ quality general practice, but it doesn't want to pay for quality general practice.

“The AMA will examine the finer detail of today’s announcement to fully gauge the impact on patients and on medical practices,” A/Prof Owler said.

The AMA Council of General Practice (AMACGP) will discuss the revised co-payment model tomorrow evening.

Tgent posted:

Apparently the Greens have won Prahran!

Those On My Left posted:

Off a fuckin' Lib.

Vic state best state.

Those On My Left posted:

Off a fuckin' Lib.

Vic state best state.

SKY COQ posted:

Early comment from the AMA is basically "good work doing the thing we suggested, now pay us properly". Expect heavy resistance from the AMA and other lobby groups in the days to come. It's safe to say this isn't anywhere near over.