- Joined
- 28 October 2008
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- 39
I think the plan was to get the co-payment through between elections and put broader tax reform to the next election. No marks for trust there but that's been our political landscape for a long time.Savva wouldn't be far wrong Doc.
Here's the thing for Malcolm Turnbull, he has an inner city 'latte' sort of electorate. If he doesn't do something, he is at grave risk of being swept away with the party at the next election, which in the wake of the Greece/Vic/QLD elections, looks to be odds on now in Australia.
That Tasmanian Indep (now) Senator was right about one thing on Q&A the other night, a government can't bottle it on fair taxation of the big end of town, then turn around and nail poor folks with an extra $7 to see the doctor. Aussies won't wear that.
The co-payment could have been much better handled. Firstly, for pensioners IIRC it was only to apply to the first 10 visits. A solution there would have been to increase the annual pension by $70. That creates a price signal and avoids disadvantage. Reducing the rebate for short visits out of the blue as plan B was itself a political shocker. That apparently was a recommendation of the ERC.
I note the Nationals leader Warren Truss has weighed in to the Liberal leadership debate. At face value he's supporting TA but underneath it might be more of a case of warning any new Liberal leader about their expectations as part of the Coalition. If Malcolm does become PM, he'll quickly discover any lefty love affair with him is more about the downfall of a Coalition PM than it is about himself.