As the Berejiklian government tries to soften people up for "opening up", three residents discuss the harsh lockdown in Sydney West.
healthcare
The passing of the Greens-initiated motion for a Green New Deal in the Victorian Legislative Council is a significant step forward, writes Sue Bolton.
Privatisation continues to be touted as a quick fix, so the mantra goes “public sector bad, private sector good”.
That is, using community funds and resources to build up a vital service or piece of infrastructure, usually over a period of many years, then when there is a “budget crisis” selling it off to yield a quick cash injection and the removal of an expense from the ledger — regardless of whether it is generating income or not — while giving sweetheart deals to the new owners to ensure monopoly-like conditions to maximise their profits.
The first of a number of rallies organised around Australia to protest a proposal of the Abbott Liberal-National federal government to introduce a $5-$6 "co-payment" for Medicare bulk-billed visits to the doctor was held on January 4 in Sydney. Organised through social media, about 500 attended on short notice.
Rallies will be held in other major cities over the next week. These include:
Perth
3:00 PM, Saturday, January 11, 2014 - Murray St Mall
https://www.facebook.com/events/212272045625191/
Melbourne