http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/nicola-roxon/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +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/has-kevin-got-woman-trouble/ There were always hints that Kevin Rudd might have had a bit of a problem when it came to dealing with women. When it emerged he blew his top at a RAAF hostie because he didn’t like the meal choice on his VIP jet people wondered if he would have acted that way if served the offending sandwich by a man. Now in the torrent of revelations about what Kevin ‘07 was actually like to work with, it’s women Ministers who have been the most scathing (apart from Wayne Swan, who went totally off his ‘nana about Rudd). It’s also impossible to ignore the fact not a single female front-bencher has come out on his side. In fact, the only two women publicly cheering on the Rudd spill are his wife and daughter. Perhaps sensing an uphill battle with the ladies, Jessica Rudd conscripted the most female-oriented website possible to the Rudd cause, urging Mamamia readers to “own this spill people”. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/has-kevin-got-woman-trouble/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/has-kevin-got-woman-trouble/#item7855 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. 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. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) 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 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-qanda-whats-all-this-health-stuff/ The Government has sealed the deal on health reforms, declaring them the biggest thing since Medicare - see the story here. But then, they would talk them up, wouldn’t they? The Punch decided to get Australian Medical Association President Dr Steve Hambleton’s verdict. What’s your overall impression of the deal? Hospitals definitely needed improved funding and the good signal is that the Prime Minister is actually taking notice of medical experts - so I guess (we should see) improved transparency and meaningful clinical engagement. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-qanda-whats-all-this-health-stuff/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-qanda-whats-all-this-health-stuff/#item6427 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/nanny-states-thriving-on-tax-harvested-from-smokers/ The latest move by the Federal Government to make smoking a habit of the past is the latest salvo in the rapid expansion of the nanny state. Recently the Health Minister Nicola Roxon re‑announced the government’s intention to force tobacco companies to adopt plain packaging for all cigarette brands. From next year, smokers will be greeted with a standard olive‑green packet emblazoned with graphic health warnings screaming that “every cigarette is doing you damage”. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/nanny-states-thriving-on-tax-harvested-from-smokers/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/nanny-states-thriving-on-tax-harvested-from-smokers/#item5656 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-chinas-may-1-smoking-ban-wont-work/ Smoking inside will be banned in enclosed public spaces in China as of May 1 this year. So that leaves at least 300 million people just five weeks to break the habit of a lifetime. Given that China is the world’s largest producer of cigarettes and that one in three smokers worldwide are Chinese, this is a social undertaking of epic proportions. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-chinas-may-1-smoking-ban-wont-work/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-chinas-may-1-smoking-ban-wont-work/#item5506 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/roxon-promises-but-she-doesnt-deliver/ Just how Nicola Roxon took her seat at the head of the Health Ministers’ meeting in Hobart last week beggars belief. Ms Roxon’s position as Federal Health Minister is now untenable. Her strident and consistent advocacy for the Rudd health ‘reforms’ leave her now embarrassed, discredited and renders her impotent and therefore unable to remain in the health portfolio. Just as Peter Garrett had to be separated from the disastrous pink batts scandal and other wasteful green energy schemes (he should have been sacked), so too Nicola Roxon must be dispatched from health. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/roxon-promises-but-she-doesnt-deliver/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/roxon-promises-but-she-doesnt-deliver/#item5185 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/health-labors-dead-canary-in-the-hospital-hall/ There’s an odd kind of acquiescence to broken political promises. It’s considered almost narky to politely point out to politicians that they have in fact broken a promise that helped have them elected. Following the big sell the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Health Minister Nicola Roxon are embarking on after the COAG health agreement, its worth remembering what we were actually promised in back in Kevin07 days. Despite the celebrations that Gillard and Roxon are asking us to partake in, the ‘deal’ it represents is a failure of Rudd, Gillard and Roxon to implement what was supposed to be a revolutionary health agenda. It’s symptomatic of the kind of inertia Labor has encountered across its policy agenda and, consequently, its support base. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/health-labors-dead-canary-in-the-hospital-hall/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/health-labors-dead-canary-in-the-hospital-hall/#item5142 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/one-tax-you-wont-hear-the-government-wine-about/ It being Melbourne Cup day yesterday you probably started drinking at about 10 am and missed this story, but in another shock horror study researchers have found that we as Australians are drinking more than ever. Contrary to some studies that began to indicate a decline in our habit, the National Drug Research Institute has found we’re apparently putting it away like Brendan Fevola at Brownlow night. This increase has been attributed to the amount of wine that we’re drinking, because apparently we’ve just worked out how much alcohol the stuff has in it. One might think that such a finding would elicit some kind of response from the Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon. Like an abusive PE teacher she frequently reminds us that we’ve been drinking too much, eating too much and we’re slob of a nation who will never make the athletics squad. It might even be an opportunity to look a bit further into something that every major health body in the nation and the Henry Review has championed: that is a volumetric tax on alcohol. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/one-tax-you-wont-hear-the-government-wine-about/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/one-tax-you-wont-hear-the-government-wine-about/#item4388 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-updated-rules-of-showbiz-and-political-campaigning/ Never work with children, animals or the NSW Government. Nicola Roxon should consider adopting this updated truism of showbiz, as it might shield her from embarrassment the next time she’s tempted to hit the hustings with a member of the outfit which recorded a 25 per cent primary vote in a once-safe State Labor seat last month. The federal Health Minister went to western Sydney this week, along with NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt, and paid a visit to Westmead Hospital where she announced that the Gillard Government would spend $11.3 million to provide 44 new acute, sub-acute and intensive care beds. A noble initiative but one which was overshadowed by a well-mannered woman who politely inquired as to whether her bed-ridden elderly father could perhaps be given a room with a toilet during his convalescence at Westmead. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-updated-rules-of-showbiz-and-political-campaigning/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-updated-rules-of-showbiz-and-political-campaigning/#item3626 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labors-looking-shaky-on-its-home-ground-health/ Sectarianism is back in Parliament, well according to Kevin Andrews it is anyway. It was an odd accusation that, on the face of it, didn’t make a great deal of sense. Kevin Andrews jumped up at the end of question time and accused Health Minister Nicola Roxon of a sectarian attack on the leader of the opposition: “Mr Speaker, there should be no place for this foul sectarian attack we get from this minister in this place.” It wasn’t initially clear what Andrews got so fired up about, but if you rewind a moment you can see Roxon’s backhander when answering a question about a new mother’s support help line. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labors-looking-shaky-on-its-home-ground-health/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/labors-looking-shaky-on-its-home-ground-health/#item3382 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 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.