http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/nicola-roxon/ Nicola Roxon is the Minister for Health and Ageing. She has been a member of Federal Parliament since 1998 representing the western suburbs seat of Gellibrand in Melbourne. She previously held the positions of Shadow Minister Children and Youth, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader on the Status of Women, Shadow Minister for Immigration, Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Health. Nicola is an honours law graduate, who worked as an industrial lawyer, union organiser and judge’s associate to Justice Mary Gaudron in the High Court of Australia prior to her election to parliament. Nicola is married with one child. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:00:13 +0000 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:00:13 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Lets-debate-the-rebate-with-some-nice-healthy-facts/ Our government has been trying to ensure that the generous rebate to millions of Australians who take out private health insurance remains in place, and remains sustainable into the future. To do this, we’ve tried to introduce a means test that stops support for a family earning more than a quarter of a millions dollars - but retains it for nearly 8 million low and middle income Australians, with a scale down for those in between. Our last changes were met with predictions from the Liberals and insurers that the sky would fall in and that millions would drop out of insurance. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Lets-debate-the-rebate-with-some-nice-healthy-facts/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Lets-debate-the-rebate-with-some-nice-healthy-facts/#item6510 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:40:49 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/olive-brown-colour-of-sick/ Kids say olive brown is the colour of sick. And that’s what smoking will make you - in fact it will actually kill you. The fight to lower the smoking rate and reduce the impact of death and disease on the Australian community has been one of the great public health battles of the past 30 years. It is a fight the community is winning, but has not yet won. Big Tobacco has deep pockets and the fight has been played out in court rooms and column inches across the country. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/olive-brown-colour-of-sick/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/olive-brown-colour-of-sick/#item5588 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:43:34 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/for-taxpayers-and-patients-health-reform-is-essential/ There’s a reason health reform has featured in our national debate for decades. There’s a reason it is contentious, difficult and often tops out surveys as the biggest concern for Australians. It’s because if we don’t get it right then it hits our family members directly – everyone wants the best care when they’re sick. Queues and waiting times that go for too long. More suffering than is necessary. Every family knows a situation where the care of a loved one could have been improved if doctors, nurses and health staff had better support, more resources and bureaucracy didn’t get in the way. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/for-taxpayers-and-patients-health-reform-is-essential/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/for-taxpayers-and-patients-health-reform-is-essential/#item5177 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:45:51 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-federal-government-takes-on-big-tobacco/ Commonsense, let alone science, tells us that no level of smoking is safe or healthy. Yet 2.9 million Australians smoke each day and smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in Australia.  Each year smoking kills 15,000 Australians and costs the economy more than $31 billion. With this sort of impact, we can’t afford not to act. By not acting to reduce smoking, we’re standing by letting people die. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-federal-government-takes-on-big-tobacco/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-federal-government-takes-on-big-tobacco/#item5005 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 18:30:40 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-the-health-plan-means-and-why-it-should-pass/ The Rudd Government believes universal access to top quality health care and medicines is a right for every Australian, regardless of where they live or how much money they have.  Most Australians feel the same. It’s part of our “fair go” tradition, something that is I believe is one of the greatest things about Australia. However, tradition isn’t going to help our struggling health system.  We know that left unchecked, health costs were set to eclipse entire state budgets by the middle of the century. That is why the Rudd Government embarked upon the most significant reforms to the health system since the introduction of Medicare.  Only a Labor Government – the founders of Medicare - would make such an undertaking. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-the-health-plan-means-and-why-it-should-pass/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-the-health-plan-means-and-why-it-should-pass/#item3061 Wed, 12 May 2010 03:54:07 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-exactly-are-your-plans-for-health-mr-abbott/ One thing is surely beyond question in today’s health debate – Tony Abbott will turn up on time.  The bigger issue is however – what will he talk about?  While it is clear health will be a key battleground in the coming Federal Election, the Opposition’s plans for our health system remain shrouded in mystery. The Rudd Government believes in the need for health reform.  Immediately after taking office we got to work to address the problems in the system. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-exactly-are-your-plans-for-health-mr-abbott/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-exactly-are-your-plans-for-health-mr-abbott/#item2683 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:55:56 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/im-no-nanny-its-about-saving-lives-and-the-system/ Next week Parliament is set to consider legislation that is another first from the Rudd Government – Australia’s first agency dedicated to Preventative Health.  Currently the media abounds with stories about our obesity epidemic, rising rates of chronic disease and problems with alcohol and tobacco.  This Agency will help us do something about those problems.  As much as some media outlets find the labels irresistible, this isn’t about creating a nanny state, or nagging people into being ‘good’.  This Agency will be staffed with experts who will work hard to find the best possible ways to help us be healthier – and reduce our health bill as a result. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/im-no-nanny-its-about-saving-lives-and-the-system/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/im-no-nanny-its-about-saving-lives-and-the-system/#item1456 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:45:42 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coalition-is-being-reckless-on-private-health-insurance/ This week in Parliament will be an important test of the Opposition’s commitment to both health reform and economic responsibility. Right now we’re looking at making some of the biggest reforms to our health care system since the introduction of Medicare.  We can’t do that unless we make the hard decisions.  feedback@thepunch.com.au (Nicola Roxon) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coalition-is-being-reckless-on-private-health-insurance/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coalition-is-being-reckless-on-private-health-insurance/#item932 Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:55:21 +0000 Nicola Roxon | Author bios | The Punch