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“Last night’s budget locked in tax breaks for companies and above average earners, and confirmed the funding attacks on public hospitals, primary care, dental care, and education, including the $80 billion previous cuts to health and education”, said Dr Tim Woodruff, vice president, Doctors Reform Society. Increasing the division between high and low/middle income earners leads to poorer health outcomes  irrespective of spending on health care, but when it is combined with direct cuts to public funding it is a clear signal that this Government  has minimal interest in the health of those who cannot afford private health care.

Reluctantly, the Government has finally taken on some of the worst inequity aspects of tax avoidance and superannuation but it has locked in spending cuts to hospitals  dental care, and numerous community based health care organisations which means targeting those who don’t belong at the top end of town.  It has maintained the freeze on the Medicare rebate for GPs and specialists and cut pathology funding, setting the scene for new and increased GP, specialist, and pathology  copayments.

This is a budget with an identical intention to the Abbott/ Hockey one, to destroy public confidence in the public health system and facilitate the growth of the American privatization disaster.

Dr Tim Woodruff                              Dr Con Costa

Vice President                                   Vice President

Doctors Reform Society                  Ph 0418400309

Ph  0401042619