30 Oct 03

Buck passing

I’ve commented here before about the republic debate and how I’d like to see it widened to address issues that are more relevant.

I’m frequently annoyed at the buck passing between Federal and State Governments on health in particular.

We have a major problem in this country in that no level of government has sole responsibility for the most important sector of public service.

The states run the hospitals, but the Commonwealth accredits and funds them.

According to all reports the hospital system is in crisis. The Commonwealth blames the states and the states blame the Commonwealth.

Nobody is talking about a solution to this dilemma of responsibility because it suits politicians to blame someone else. You don’t need a university degree (if you can afford one) to work that out.

Politicians won’t encourage public debate on this issue either, because the end result will be the loss of power for one or the other, and the loss of someone to blame.

Clearly the health system should be the responsibility of either the states or the Commonwealth, but not both. For the states to assume full responsibility they need greater funding powers. That means giving them back the authority to raise income tax.

Nobody will like this idea, so it makes more sense for health to become a federal responsibility.

If you take health away from the states you may as well take away education and police as well, because there won’t be much else left.

Then we’re at the point of abolishing states as we know them and creating regional government.

Forget the republic. Let’s have a real debate about what sort of future we want for this country (and state).

These articles might be of interest:

• The future of the Federation
• The republic
• Fluoride for kids

Tags: politics, soapbox

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