Fit as a flea

Hope it doesn't come to this?

A caring society ?

Mediscare

A while ago while waiting my turn in a frantically busy medical centre, I watched the harried receptionist deal with incoming arrivals in  between incessant phone calls and doctors' demands for files. Each new person was greeted with a perfunctory "Which doctor?" One aged pensioner who had got up very early that day replied in like manner "No, any normal doctor will do thank you!"

Although small at this stage , the new levy for surgery visits has the potential to become a permanent feature . Very rarely do governments abolish revenue raisers. In addition to increased patient's expenses, the bulk billing rebate to GP's has also been reduced.
In the future the various states are facing appreciable funding cuts Io their medical and educational funding. This raised the issue of the states perhaps being forced to augment income , increasing residents taxes to meet the shortfall. Protests are loud and clear at this moment but from past experience, I would not be surprised to see this resistance fold like a house of cards. Political expediency is vicarious with too often the devil being very much in the detail of any agreement designed to save face,
High school education, higher education and health are all being adversely impacted in the future. The noise earlier in the year about GST (Vat or TVA) increases was not without foundation. These lobbied ideas are so sneaky they blaze a trail across the sky.
In the U.S the hue and cry over Obama care is not solely due to the inefficiency of the system but the basic principle of care for all. The Clintons had real trouble with this one. Here's hoping we never feel the same way.
Rather than an expense,  health and education are investments with little immediate return but the long term benefits are much more valuable.