Fed: Beazley says Medicare alliance would end blame shifting

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2000
Fed: Beazley says Medicare alliance would end blame shifting

CANBERRA, Aug 1 AAP - The Labor Party's Medicare alliance would put an end to the blame
and cost shifting between the states and the commonwealth, Opposition Leader Kim Beazley
said today.

The federal government's handling of the health care system and aged care was increasing
a burden on public hospitals, Mr Beazley told ABC radio.

"It requires substantial additional resources, I don't dispute that, and we have indicated
that there will be substantial additional resources there," he said.

"But the things that people feel about the uncertainty they have with public hospitals,
the waiting lists and whether or not they'll actually be able to access it affordably
for themselves, these are the things with which we have to deal."

One of the advantages of Labor's Medicare alliance was that the premiers of at least
two thirds of the states were signed on.

"I hope more by the time we come into the next election campaign, we actually have
the people who can make the decisions at the state level signed up to this and that is
very important," Mr Beazley said.

A Labor government would hold a summit on the health care system involving not only
the states but also the professionals and others associated with the health care system.

"So we actually are going to get to grips with what is becoming a burgeoning problem
in this society and we all know what will happen if we keep going down the road that we
are going down now," he said.

"What will happen is the Americanisation of the Australian health care system."

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KEYWORD: ALP BEAZLEY HEALTH

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