From our ABC

Party room meeting to consider Medibank Private sale
A Federal Coalition party room meeting is today expected to consider the planned sale of Medibank Private.

The Government is hoping to raise $2 billion by selling the health insurer in a public float.

Labor says the float should be abandoned because it will force up premiums.

Coalition backbenchers have differing views on the sale of Medibank Private.

The Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says the sale should be delayed until after the next privatisation of Telstra.

"It might be a good idea if you want to you know get a better price and if you get a better price then you have more money to spend on other things such as roads, rail, education, health, defence, all the things that the Australian people expect the Government to invest in," he said.

"Too much of a good thing on the marketplace at the one time might actually push the price you're liable to get down."

The West Australian Liberal Barry Haase wants the sale to go ahead, and he rejects Labor's claim that insurance premiums will rise.

"I don't believe that a Government or taxpayer owned medical fund will be any more efficient than a commercial one," he said.

"I think shareholders are what keep rates in line."

The Opposition's Kelvin Thompson says Labor will keep arguing for the insurer to be left in public hands.

"Where it plays a useful role in keeping the health funds honest," Mr Thompson said.

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Gus: the health premium may not rise (ah ah) immediately — but in two years time???..

Consider that the premiums for ALL health funds are ALREADY subsidised by the government... to the tune of 30 PER CENT!!? It's a bit like you, going to rent a few private flats AND your modest abode, at a higher cost than the price you sold YOUR modest abode for... plus adding extra rent for your own furniture...!!!

Johnnee's gone loopy about selling to you what you've already paid for... But selling a product that HAS TO BE SUBSIDISED to survive on the market place is economic lunacy... It is also high mismanagement of a service that used to work well.

Think about it...

From our ABC

Medibank sale would increase premiums: AMA
The Australian Medical Association says the sale of Medibank Private would make premiums more expensive.

The Federal Government wants to sell the health insurer.

However, the AMA's Mukesh Haikerwal says he is against any reduction in competition.

He says members would be the losers if the sale goes ahead.

"The purchaser of Medibank Private will inflict costs on themselves and that will be born in terms of increased premiums by the current shareholders or the current members," he said.

Health Minister Tony Abbott has told Parliament he disagrees with the AMA.

But the push against the Government's planned sale is growing.

The union representing Medibank's staff is campaigning and it has three former commissioners of the Health Insurance Commission on side, who also argue the sale would make premiums more expensive.

from our ABC with annotation by GUS

Mortgages cost more under Howard, Beazley says
MORTGAGES DO COST A LOT MORE BECAUSE THE "WONDERFUL " ECONOMIC STATUS OF AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN BASED ON OVER-INFLATED HOUSING PRICES, DIGGING A FEW MORE HOLES AND SELLING OFF THE FARM .

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has hit back at the Government's claim that it keeps interest rates low, saying housing costs are higher under Prime Minister John Howard.
HIT JOHNNEE IN THE GUTS, KIMMY!

He (KIMMY) says recent figures show 9.1 per cent of household income is going on mortgage interest payments.
ARE YOU KIDDING, IT'S MORE THAN 30 % IN MOST HOUSEHOLD...

"This level is 50 per cent higher than the peak reached under treasurer [Paul] Keating in 1989," he said.
SURE, IT'S AT LEAST 100 PERCENT MORE... IN REAL MONEY TERMS.

Prime Minister John Howard has rejected Mr Beazley's argument, saying mortgage payments would be much higher if interest rates were as high as they were then.
ONE CAN EXPECT THE GROCER TO REJECT CRITICISM OF HIS APPLES THAT ARE ROTTEN...
MORTGAGE PAYMENTS ARE PROPORTIONALLY MUCH HIGHER THAN THEY USED TO BE, EVEN WITH HIGH INTEREST RATES...
AND THESE HIGH INTEREST RATES UNDER KEATING WERE DUE BECAUSE THE ECONOMY WAS GOING SO WELL, THE RATES HAD TO BE PUT UP. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORLD CLIMATE ON MONEY TOO. INTEREST RATES WERE HIGH ALL OVER THE WORLD THEN.

"The figure is higher because the size of mortgages is much higher," he said.
A PLATITUDE OF MEANINGLESS PURPOSE!! MANY PEOPLE BOUGHT ON THE FLIMFLAM OF A FAST BUCK ON RESALE, AS HOUSING PRICES WERE GOING THOUGH THE ROOF! NOW THE HOUSE PRICES ARE REGRESSING A BIT, PEOPLE ARE FEELING THEY HAVE BEEN CHEATED!

"You can imagine what it would be at if we were paying 17 per cent."
YES WE CAN IMAGINE!... JOHNNEE FLIMFLAM WOULD HAVE FOUND ANOTHER PORKIE TO MAKE US SWALLOW THE BITTER PILL...
Labor says the Government is trying to dodge its responsibility for the high cost of housing.
JOHNNEE'S MANAGEMENT OF THE ECONOMY HAS BEEN BASED ON REAL ESTATE PRICES GOING THROUGH THE ROOF, EDUCATION PRICES BECOMING UNAFFORDABLE SO STUDENTS WOULD DROP OFF, REDUCTION OF WAGES SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO MAKE A LIVING, AND ON A FEW OTHER THINGS LIKE SABOTAGING MEDICARE WITH NON CORE PROMISES BEFORE ELECTIONS...

DO YOU TRUST THIS SNAKE OIL MERCHANT? NO, WE DON'T...

I meant to attract attention, in the cartoon at the top of this line of blog, that the "net" behind Johnnee —be a Medicare safety net, be a worker' job security, be a social responsibility to the poorest and disablest in this country, is full of holes. Just wanted to let you know...

From our ABC

Abbott confirms Govt considering delaying Medibank sale
The federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott, says the Government may delay the sale of Medibank Private until after the next election.

A report from the investment bank Carnagie Wylie has advised the Government that selling Medibank Private could detract from this year's public float of Telstra.

Mr Abbott says the Government is considering the report, but no final decision has been made.

"We are committed to the sale of Medibank Private," he said.

"We think that selling Medibank Private makes sense, we think it will be good for the private health insurance market and so we will proceed with that legislation to enable us to do it.

"But it may be that the sale is put off until some time after the next election."

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Gus: Why don't we sell the whole government to private enterprise and encourage wheeling and dealing for those who have the most... Then we would be sure that we'd get best value for our lobbying and services:
"Education here, dismantled and sold one item at a time... do I hear 200,000 for a full blown doctorate?... Yes? Once... 250,000 on the left here.... 250,000... once... twice... 350,000 in the centre! you good man... buying it to resell it for more? why not, it's a free market... 350,000, once... 450,000! on the extreme right... Sir, you have stiff competition here... 500,000? sir, on the extreme right, may I remind you, you are bidding against yourself!... Once, Twice... "

Ring ring...

"Hello?... Yes sir... No worries sir... May I advise the "public" here (I know you are mostly private entreprenours) that the sale of the education items on display here has been withdrawn since the "owners" may not be the real real owners. There is an injunction on the good product and... What? TWO million dollars? on the extreme right again here? ... Sold! we'll take care of the details in the courts with the help of your contribution, sir... The mums and dads will have to pay for all this... several times over... Great result... Our next item is a couple of big representative chambers, we're selling one leather seat at a time... Do I have a bid for Monaro?"

From the ABC

Abbott under fire over 'radical' public hospital management plan
The Opposition says the Federal Government's latest suggestions on the private management of public hospitals will see patients exploited for profit.
MY GALL BLADDER STONE IS WORTH 4500 BUCKS... DO I SEE 5000 ON THE LEFT, 6000 ON THE RIGHT HERE...

Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott is continuing to push for public hospitals to be managed by the private sector.
MORE A SHOVE THAN A PUSH....

Mr Abbott says there are several examples of local hospitals around Australia that are being run under private business strategies.
THEY DO NOT RUN FOR PROFIT, MR ABBOTT

He has told ABC TV's Lateline program the fact state Labor governments are persisting with those strategies is a reflection of their success.
VERY FEW ARE, SOME ARE NOT WORKING WELL, SOME ARE WORKING DISMALLY

"Given that everyone who has anything to do with the internal workings of public hospitals is normally appalled by the difficulties," he said.
EVERYONE INCLUDING THE PRIVATE SECTOR RELIES HEAVILY ON THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL SECTOR WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...

"Why not look at this more closely and see whether private sector management can do the same kind of good things that it's done in so many other areas?"
LIKE FIDDLING THE BOOKS, LIKE HIH, LIKE ONETEL, LIKE... TELSTRA?

Opposition health spokeswoman Julia Gillard has told Lateline Labor would consider some models of private management for public hospitals, but not the Minister's suggestion.
ST VINNIE... PRIVATE BUT "NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANSATION"...

"What Tony Abbott is talking about is trying to profit off people's health needs when they go into a great institution in Australian society and that great institution is the free public hospital," she said.
YOU'RE SICK? TOUGH LUCK... SHAREHOLDERS BEFORE SICK PEOPLE...!!
"Now this is a radical health agenda of the worst kind.
TERRIBLE!
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Gus thinks our health Monster deserve a little spanking... Would the US administration think of that little swifty? or are they working on it? or is it already there...!