Doctor Rudd may have pulled out his stethoscope and come up with a correct diagnosis about the ailing health system in the states and territories, but many of his patients are not confident about his national plan for a cure.
The Prime Minister’s push to take over funding of public hospitals by diverting some of the GST revenue that currently goes to the states has raised skepticism among not just the various health administrations, but also among most online readers who commented on news sites in the past week.
If Rudd thinks he has a tough job talking the states and territories into agreeing to the rescue plan, he may also have a difficult time convincing many voters ahead of an election due later this year.
After three years of waiting for action on national health reform, Canberra Times reader Geoff said he didn’t trust Rudd’s panacea and thought the PM was merely engaging in spin doctoring: “This is great way to tick off an election promise. Make a promise. Explain later that you didn’t realise what you were promising. Say that you’ll deal with it in November 2010. Say it’s too complicated. Let the dates slide. Place it all back in the hands of the states to disagree and then hold a referendum that is likely to fail.”
Other readers thought the health plan was a diversionary tactic by Rudd from federal Labor’s other woes, such as the insulation rebate scheme.
Chuck of Brisbane wrote on the Daily Telegraph site: “Rudd has fast-tracked this to get the insulation debacle out of the news, no other reason. This is set up to fail even before it begins.”
Bill of North Ryde added: “Rudd can’t even facilitate the installation of batts. So how can he run the hospitals? Prepare for absolute carnage!”
Some readers thought Rudd’s plan would fail unless it provided more ground-level staff.
Peter of Brisbane commented to The Courier-Mail: “Taking over the funding of the hospitals from the states will not change anything unless there is a move to increase the number of nurses and doctors and hospital beds. We desperately need more front-line staff and less public servants.”
A suggestion of higher taxes being imposed to pay for the health reforms did not help make many readers feel any better about the Rudd scheme.
Gone Baby Gone wrote to the Daily Telegraph: “What this will mean is more tax and no action, except lots more pen pushers. Don’t fall for the big new tax grab!”
Other readers thought the national funding plan could prove to be a cop out on health care provision by the states.
Cat of Adelaide said on Adelaide Now: “There is far more to health care than hospitals. This is going to be a glorious excuse for the states to do even less to help those at risk unless some very strong safeguards are put in place.”
But there were also some voices of support for Rudd’s proposed reforms.
Gibbsey of Canberra wrote to the Daily Telegraph: “Good onya Kev. Good to see you making a stand against the states on this issue. They have sure made a mess of the health system and it needs a tough stance.”
Based on his own practical experience, John backed the Prime Minister’s plan on the Herald Sun site: “I work in a hospital and I welcome Rudd’s thought to do this. The state governments are strangling the public hospitals yet lining the pockets of the privates. I don’t think Rudd knows what he’s in for, but it’s better than what we currently deal with.”
But with support rupturing, Doctor Rudd may need to resort to further surgery if he is to succeed in his mission to save the nation’s health system and his Government.
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Good story by @ashermoses on the mass gaming of a website poll about alternative medicine http://t.co/3XNE2BF5
OK, so am I the last person in Australia to see this Herald front page mockup thru the Rinehart lens? http://t.co/LSNBPkVl
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