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PDF printable version of Coalition candidate at odds with Tony Abbott over Medicare Locals (PDF 226 KB)

3 April 2013

Cracks are emerging in Coalition ranks over Tony Abbott’s plans to scrap Medicare Locals with the Liberal candidate for Lindsay Fiona Scott denying axing the primary health care providers is Coalition policy.

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said Shadow Health Minister Peter Dutton is repeatedly on record saying he’d scrap Medicare Locals if the Coalition wins government in September.

“They may be well intentioned, but we can’t afford . . . an estimated 3,000 people employed across Medicare Locals,” said Mr Dutton. (Croakey, 21 November, 2012)
Crikey Blog - Medicare Locals are “vulnerable”

In March, the Australian newspaper also ran a story under the headline“Coalition ‘will abolish’ all Medicare Locals,”quoting Mr Dutton.
The Australian - Coalition 'will abolish' all Medicare Locals

Ms Plibersek said Mr Dutton has never denied his plans to sack Medicare Local staff and cut the vital services they provide, ripping more than $1.2 billion out of health services across Australia.

But after the Coalition last week held a “health forum” in Lindsay and Miss Scott and Mr Dutton met with Medicare Local staff, local Labor member David Bradbury issued a press release saying Miss Scott and Mr Dutton had met with staff they planned to sack.

The Hon David Bradbury MP - Media Release - Liberals Meet with Health Workers Whose Jobs They Plan to Axe


In response, Fiona Scott told the Penrith Press:

‘‘There are no plans to ditch Medicare Locals. We are very clear in our priority to fund frontline services but to reduce bureaucracy. Medicare Local does great work locally. I have no idea where Mr Bradbury got this from. We wouldn’t meet with them if we were going to shut them down.” (Penrith Press, 2 April, 2013.)

Ms Plibersek said she found it very disturbing that a Coalition candidate was campaigning on health issues and meeting with health staff, but refused to acknowledge the Coalition’s plans to cut Medicare Locals and the frontline services they deliver.

“Fiona Scott must come clean on her position on the Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local. Does she support Tony Abbott’s cuts or does she support health services and jobs in Lindsay? She can’t have it both ways.”

“As for Peter Dutton, his hypocrisy is breathtaking. He announces publicly he would abolish Medicare Locals and then goes and tells the people he wants to sack they are doing a good job.

“The vast majority of staff employed by Medicare Locals are frontline health workers including doctors, nurses, psychologists, podiatrists, pharmacists and speech pathologists.”

Indeed, on the same day Fiona Scott’s denial ran, Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local’s deputy chief executive Lizz Reay is quoted in another newspaper, the Penrith Star, saying:

‘‘We discussed the challenge in regards to the climbing health budget and that governments will be looking at where the health sector can suggest savings, including Medicare Locals. Seventy-five per cent of our staff provide frontline services; it would be difficult to identify where savings could be made.” (Penrith Star, 2 April, 2013.)

Mr Bradbury said scraping the Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local would mean the closure of the afterhours GP clinic at Nepean Hospital, 460 patients left without psychological services each month, 56 patients left without home visits from nurses and the cancellation of a number of local indigenous health programs.

“Fiona Scott either doesn’t know what she’s talking about or is not being fair dinkum with the people of Lindsay,” Mr Bradbury said.

“Not only did Miss Scott stand silently next to her Shadow Minister as he confirmed the Liberals’ plan to abolish Medicare Locals, she then had the hide to take him to visit the Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local and shake hands with the people whose jobs they plan to axe.”