QUEENSLAND BROADCAST NO. 1
MEDIBANK
BRAODCAST BY THE PRIE MINISTER FOR QUEEISIAND RADIO STATIONS, 23 MFIARCH 1975
THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS STATION HAS BEEN GOOD
ENOUGH TO INVITE ME TO TALK REGULARLY TO THE PEOPLE OF
QUEENSLAND ABOUT MATTERS OF CURRENT INTEREST, I AM
GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY., IN THE WEEKS TO COME
I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING OF WHAT THE AUSTRALIAN
S GOVERNMENT IS DOING, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR OWN GREAT
STATE, BUT FOR ALL THE AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE.
I. THOUGHT I WOULD BEGIN WITH A SUBJECT VERY
MUCH IN THE PUBLIC MIND, AND. IN THE HEADLINES, AT THE
MOMENT MEDIBANK. THIS IS THE NEW UNIVERSAL HEALTH
INSURANCE SCHEME TO BE INTRODUCED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA
ON THE FIRST OF JULY. I SHALL TELL YOU SOMETHING OF
S WHAT IT MEANS IN A MOMENT, BUT FIRST LET ME EMPHASISE
THIS: MEDIBANK HAS BEEN THE POLICY OF THE LABOR PARTY
SINCE 1968. IT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE AUSTRALIAN
PEOPLE IN THE TWO FEDERAL ELECTIONS IN 1972 AND 1974.
WE HAVE SPENT YEARS DEVELOPING THE SCHEME AND MANY,
MANY MONTHS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH INTERESTED GROUPS
DOCTORS, HEALTH FUNDS, THE STATES WORKING OUT'THE
DETAILS, I BELIEVE THAT BILL HAYDEN, THE MINISTER
FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, AND A QUEENSLANDER, HAS PERFECTED
ONE OF THE BEST HEALTH SCHEMES IN THE WORLD.. / 2
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THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE HAS TRIED HARD
TO BLOCK OUR PROPOSALS BUT IT HAS NOT SUCCEEDED.
-THE LEGISLATION HAD TO BE PASSED AT THE JOINT SITTING
OF THE PARLIAMENT LAST AUGUST. SO SIMPLY: MEDIBANK
IS THE LAW OF THE LANDO THE PEOPLE WANT IT. IT IS
GOING AHEAD ON SCHEDULE. AND IT IS GOING AHEAD AS
. PLANNED. MEDIBANK WILL MEAN THAT AFTER 1 JULY NO ONE
WILL HAVE TO PAY ANY CONTRIBUTIONS FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE
TO COVER DOCTORS' BILLS. THIS INSURANCE WILL B
FREE, DOCTORS WILL BE ABLE TO TREAT ANY PATIENT, AND
PATIENTS WILL BE FREE TO CONSULT ANY DOCTOR*. IF THE
DOCTOR SENDS HIS BILL TO MEDIBANK, PATIENTS WILL PAY
NOTHING, IF THE DOCTOR PREFERS TO SEND HIS BILL TO THE
PATIENT IN THE OLD WAY, PATIENTS CAN CLAIM A REFUND FROM
MEDIBANK OF 85% OF THE BILL. THE PATIENT WILL PAY
THE REST, BUT NEVER MORE THAN $ 5 FOR ANY TREATMENT,-
NO MATTER HOW EXPENSIVE. You HEAR OUR OPRONENTS SAY THAT
MEDICAL .* INSURANCE WON'T REALLY BE FREE AT ALL THAT
IT'S GOING TO COST THE COUNTRY . SO MANY MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS. WELL OF COURSE, EVERYTHING COSTS MONEY, THE
DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE FUNDS FOR MEDIBANK WILL COME
FROM. OUR TAXES, JUST. AS FUNDS FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT
SERVICES LIKE EDUCATION, PENSIONS, THE DEFENCE
FORCES COME FROM OURTAXES, PEOPLE* WILL PAY NOTHING
THEMSELVES. HEALTH WILL BE A RESPONSIBILITY'OF
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
-3-
WE THINK THIS IS A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM FOR A
NUMBER OF REASONS, IN THE FIRST PLACE IT IS SIMPLER
AND FAIRER, IT WILL DO AWAY WITH A HUNDRED OR MORE
SEPARATE, COMPETING, OVERLAPPING HEALTH FUNDS WHOSE
ACTIVITIES HAVE OFTEN LED TO WASTE AND INEFFICIENCY
IT WILL MEAN THAT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WILL BE
COVERED AUTOMATICALLY DON'T FORGET THERE ARE NOW OVER A
MILLION AUSTRALIANS WITH NO MEDICAL INSURANCE AT ALL,
IT'WILL MEAN BETTER TREATMENT FOR-PENSIONERS AND
THOSE MOST IN NEEDS AND FOR EVERYONE IT WILL MEAN
NO MORE WORRY OR FINANCIAL EMBARRASSMENT IN'MEEtING THE
COST OF CONTRIBUTIONS$ I HAVE MENTIONED THE MEDICAL SIDE OF OUR SCHEME.
THAT'S GOING AHEAD WHATEVER THE STATES MAY DO, THEHOSPITAL
SIDE IS MORE COMPLICATED, IT DEPENDS ON
WHETHER THE STATES AGREE TO CO-OPERATE WITH
MEDIBANK OR NOT, IF THEY DO, HOSPITAL CARE IN GENERAL
p WARDS WILL COST NOTHING THE AUSTRALIAN. GOVERNMENT AND
THE STATE GOVERNMENT WILL SHARE THE COST FOR EACH
PATIENT, WE HAVE OFFERED THE-STATES SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS FOR
THIS PURPOSE, NoW I KNOW THAT HERE IN QUEENSLAND YOU ALREADY
HAVE FREE HOSPITAL TREATMENT IT WAS A LABOR GOVERNMENT
IN THIS STATE THAT KEPT YOUR FREE HOSPITAL'SCHEME GOING
AFTER MR MENZIES IN THE 1950' WITH A COUNTRY PARTY
MINISTER OF HEALTH, BROKE OFF THE AGREEMENTS WHICH
THE CHIFLEY LABOR GOVERNMENT HAD MADE WITH EVERY STATE
FOR FREE HOSPITALS BACK IN 1947.
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So YOU MAY THINK IT DOESN'T MATTER MUCH TO QUEENSLANDERS
WHETHER YOUR STATE GOVERNMENT JOINS MEDIBANK OR NOT.
SWELL, IT DOES MATTER. IT'S TRUE THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE
TO HAVE FREE PUBLIC WARD TREATMENT AS LONG AS
THE STATE PROVIDES IT BUT IF QUEENSLAND JOINS THE
MEDIBANK SCHEME YOU STATE WILL BE GETTING MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN EXTRA FUNDS ABOUT $ 50 MILLION A YEAR
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, THESE FUNDS WOULD
GREATLY EASE THE BURDEN ON YOUR STATE FINANCES. THEY COULD
BE USED TO BUY MORE HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT OR EMPLOY MORE S
STAFF THINGS WHICH QUEENSLAND HOSPITALS SORELY NEED,
So BY JOINING MEDIBANK, QUEENSLAND WILL BE MUCH BETTER OFF
THAN IF SHE DOESN'T JOIN. WITH OR WITHOUT MEDIBANK, THE
FACT IS THAT HOSPITAL COSTS ARE GOING TO GO ON RISING,
BECAUSE HEALTH CARE EVERYWHERE IS BECOMING MORE
EXPENSIVE, MORE IN DEMAND. WITH MEDIBANK, YOUR STATE
GOVERNMENT WON'T HAVE TO BEAR SINGLE-HANDED THIS
INEVITABLE BURDEN OF RISING COSTS. THAT MEANS MORE MONEY
TO SPEND ON OTHER THINGS SCHOOLS, ROADS, RAILWAYS,
COMMUNITY FACILITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF QUEENSLAND PEOPLE.
ALSO, UNDER MEDIBANK, PRIVATE HOSPITALS WILL BE GETTING
ANOTHER $ 16 A DAY FOR EVERY PATIENT. So IT'S NOT JUST
PUBLIC HOSPITALS, BUT PRIVATE HOSPITALS, THAT STAND TO
GAIN.
I THE STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE NOW DECIDING THEIR
ATTITUDES TO THE MEDIBANK HOSPITAL PROPOSALS, Two
STATES TASMANIA AND SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAVE ALREADY
COME IN, I HOPE QUEENSLAND WILL JOIN THEM, I WOULDN'T
ENVY A STATE PREMIER WHO HAD TO EXPLAIN TO HIS FELLOWCITIZENS
WHY HE'S DECIDED TO DEPRIVE THEM OF
MILLION A YEAR. DON'T FORGET: MEDIBANK WILL BE
STARTING IN JULY WHETHER QUEENSLAND JOINS OR NOT.
WHATEVER HAPPENS, QUEENSLANDERS WILL BE GETTING THE
BENEFITS OF FREE MEDICAL INSURANCE, I WANT THEM TO
GET THE EXTRA BENEFITS OF THE HOSPITAL SCHEME AS WELL$
I WANT THEM TO BE FULL PARTNERS IN A SCHEME THAT MEANS
BETTER HEALTH AND GREATER HAPPINESS AND SECURITY FOR ALL.
AUSTRALIANS,