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Stop Medicare sell-off campaign kicks off in Darwin
New TV ads highlighting Abbott Government plans to sell off parts of Medicare begin their run in Darwin this week.
The ad campaign forms part of a community-wide campaign to highlight
the planned privatisation of the administration of the $29 billion
Medicare pays to pensioners, veterans and recipients of pharmaceuticals
each year.
The Community and Public Sector Union, which represents public sector
workers around the country, is warning the outsourcing of public
services is a major threat to 5600 Australian jobs, services and data
privacy.
Kay Densley, CPSU’s Regional Secretary for the Northern Territory, said the Government was privatising Medicare by the backdoor.
“There’s been no public scrutiny of the proposed privatisation and
that’s the way the Government likes it. The first anyone heard of it was
when an ad appeared in the press basically saying to big business:
‘It’s up for grabs take your pick’.”
“The public needs to know that if chunks of Medicare are sold off
then that signals the beginning of the end of Medicare as we know it.
Valuable regional jobs will be lost, people’s sensitive personal data
will no longer be handled by public servants and we will all get a
poorer service.”
“Medicare should be run for public good and not for private profit.”
The CPSU highlighted the risks of the sell-off back in early August
when the request for tender for Medicare payments was quietly released.
This latest phase escalates the CPSU campaign which will also include
lobbying of MPs, workplace activities, local and community actions.
Politicians have already voiced their opposition to the process and support for the campaign is building.
Ms Densley will collect signatures from the public in Darwin’s Smith
Street Mall on Wednesday lunchtime to present to Solomon MP Natasha
Griggs.
Ms Densley said: “There is widespread community support for Medicare
and very tangible unease and anger about the Abbott Government’s
relentless attacks on it.”
View the ad below: To get more information go to www.stopmedicareselloff.com.au
The ad campaign forms part of a community-wide campaign to highlight
the planned privatisation of the administration of the $29 billion
Medicare pays to pensioners, veterans and recipients of pharmaceuticals
each year.
The Community and Public Sector Union, which represents public sector
workers around the country, is warning the outsourcing of public
services is a major threat to 5600 Australian jobs, services and data
privacy.
Kay Densley, CPSU’s Regional Secretary for the Northern Territory, said the Government was privatising Medicare by the backdoor.
“There’s been no public scrutiny of the proposed privatisation and
that’s the way the Government likes it. The first anyone heard of it was
when an ad appeared in the press basically saying to big business:
‘It’s up for grabs take your pick’.”
“The public needs to know that if chunks of Medicare are sold off
then that signals the beginning of the end of Medicare as we know it.
Valuable regional jobs will be lost, people’s sensitive personal data
will no longer be handled by public servants and we will all get a
poorer service.”
“Medicare should be run for public good and not for private profit.”
The CPSU highlighted the risks of the sell-off back in early August
when the request for tender for Medicare payments was quietly released.
This latest phase escalates the CPSU campaign which will also include
lobbying of MPs, workplace activities, local and community actions.
Politicians have already voiced their opposition to the process and support for the campaign is building.
Ms Densley will collect signatures from the public in Darwin’s Smith
Street Mall on Wednesday lunchtime to present to Solomon MP Natasha
Griggs.
Ms Densley said: “There is widespread community support for Medicare
and very tangible unease and anger about the Abbott Government’s
relentless attacks on it.”
View the ad below: To get more information go to www.stopmedicareselloff.com.au
Contact CPSU Media Officer Julian Lee 0409 493 290
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