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ALP would consider Federal takeover of health: Julia Gillard

August 23, 2006

Shadow Health Minister Julia GillardUrgent health reform would be the first-term focus of a Federal Labor government, even if it meant a Federal government takeover of the health care system, Shadow Health Minister Julia Gillard told an audience at the University of New England last night.

Speaking at the 23rd Annual Earle Page Politics Lecture, Ms Gillard said a Labor government would not rule out putting the Commonwealth in charge of the nation's hospitals – provided the benefits outweighed the costs.

“A Beazley Labor government would look to the long-term and be prepared to examine the need for big changes,” she said. “That includes being prepared to genuinely discuss the arguments for and against a single funder for health care.”

Ms Gillard praised former Prime Minister and Minister for Health Earle Page, calling him “a doctor to the nation” and crediting him with laying the groundwork for the modern Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. He was also committed to universal access to health care, she said, and floated the idea of a Medicare-style national insurance scheme as early as 1928. (It would take 44 years and a Whitlam Labor government before that idea would become a reality, Ms Gillard noted.)

“Earle Page left a solid legacy of achievements that made a real difference to peoples’ lives, right through to today,” Ms Gillard said.

In contrast, the Howard Government was “in desperate need of his vision, his initiatives, his commitment to universal access, and his farsightedness in health care policy”, she said. “Under the Howard Government, the life and function of Medicare depends solely on electoral politics. On any day they sniff an opportunity, the Howard Government will end universal Medicare and replace it with an American-style system where Medicare is no longer universal but is confined as an under-funded, welfare-style system.”

A Labor government, on the other hand, “would be a government of reform, prepared to build the health system we need for this century”, she said. Such reforms would include strengthening the relationship between the Commonwealth and the States, building better partnerships between the public and private hospital systems, and giving “serious consideration” to a handover of responsibility for health to the Commonwealth, she said.

Ms Gillard also welcomed the recent announcement of a rural medical school at the University of New England, and said it was "about time" more was done to address the shortage of rural medical personnel.

Following her speech, Ms Gillard took questions from the floor on a wide range of issues, including mental health, access to abortion drugs and the role of women in politics. Afterwards, UNE Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Pettigrew moved a vote of thanks to Ms Gillard, praising her for the content of her speech and her “honesty and candour” in answering questions.

The Earle Page Annual Politics Lecture is held in conjunction with the Discipline of Political and International Studies within UNE’s School of Social Science. Previous speakers include Dr Carmen Lawrence, Peter Garrett, and the Hon Philip Ruddock. Last year’s speaker was the Hon Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page, after whom the College and lecture series are named, was chairman of the advisory council for the University of New England College from 1938 until 1954, and the University’s first Chancellor from 1954 to 1960. He was also Prime Minister for a brief period in 1939.

A full transcript of Ms Gillard's speech is available at: http://www.juliagillard.alp.org.au/news/0806/spad22-01.php

For more information, contact Leon Braun (UNE Public Relations) on (02) 6773 3771. A photo is available to accompany this story.

Posted by Leon Braun at August 23, 2006 12:41 PM