Australia is facing a healthcare emergency
An Australian health union has launched a new national campaign to fight against the federal government’s cuts to health, before the changes devastate the health of Australians.
Lee Thomas, ANMF federal secretary, says the Lies, Cuts and Broken Promises campaign will fight against the cuts to health, before the changes devastate the health of Australians.
From this Tuesday (1 July 2014), the federal government began its systematic slashing of more than $50 billion of health funding to the states and territories.
The government will also ask the Senate to demolish Medicare by introducing a range of new costs for basic health services, including a $7 fee for GP visits and diagnostic and pathology services and an extra $5 for pharmaceutical medicines.
Health union, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s (ANMF), campaign Lies, Cuts and Broken Promises, calls for people to join nurses and midwives in fighting the proposed co-payments and health budget cuts and ask senators to reject these changes.
“Nurses and midwives are not prepared to stand by and watch Australia’s successful, sustainable system of universal healthcare be destroyed by the Abbott government’s budget of lies, cuts and broken promises,” Lee Thomas, ANMF federal secretary, said.
“They are not prepared to stand by and watch the health of Australians be put at risk, especially the most vulnerable in our communities, such as the elderly, young families already struggling to make ends meet, people in regional and rural areas and low income earners.
According to Ms Thomas, nurses and midwives believe that health care should be available to those who need it, not just those who can pay for it.
“So, we will be standing together to support the most vulnerable in our community by fighting these cuts to health and ensuring that Australia continues to have one of the best health systems in the world.
“We are reminding the public that Prime Minister Abbott has no mandate for these changes to the health budget and asking them to help nurses and midwives hold the government to account for the health care emergency they are creating,” she said.
Supporters of the Lies, Cuts and Broken Promises campaign will be asked to nominate their number one lie, cut or broken promise and share why this is of concern to them, their family and their community.
In addition to taking the pledge against the budget, campaign supporters will also be asked to spread the word on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under ‘#healthcareemergency’.
These shares will be directed to Ministers, MPs and Senators to show the growing support against these broken promises and this healthcare emergency.
“Because that is exactly what this budget has done from today, it has started a healthcare emergency in Australia,” Ms Thomas said. “It is attacking a system of healthcare that works and delivers for all Australians.”
Visit www.anmftakeaction.org.au for more information.
