This sounds like the ALP fear mongering machine in action, I am guessing it isn't but it sure sounds familiar.

"What we need to fear from the new Liberal government is the wholesale outsourcing of health, education and welfare systems that State government is meant to deliver."

Wasn't Roxon and the Ruddster going to take over all the hospitals, and various swings and roundabouts since .. where are we now by the way? What is Juliar doing now?

Sure the governments are elected because we are still in the old paragigm where we think the government has a duty to deliver services. No one in the ALP seems to see it that way though.

The hospital system in NSW is a disaster due to the ALP, not the new government .. did you ever criticise them?

"Once in the hands of other organisations, with other rules and ideologies, these essential services will increasingly become a tool to impose a particular vision of social order"

To be honest most of us don't care at the moment, we just want the services to be brought back up to speed.

This is unnecessary scaremongering - let's let the coalition have a go at cleaning up first, before we start accusing them of anything, what's it been now 4 days? Already we have people accusing them of all manner of things.

What do you reckon is the solution Kate?

Amicus look at the about the Author bit?

Amicus we all know you can't see past your own nose but imagine for a moment if the only hospital near you was run by a Religous sect that didn't allow blood transfusions? would that be of concern to you?

kenny .. thanks, what I fear more is baseless fearmongering, what if this or that or .. "insert current scare here"

Like yours ..

Question: why flame me for having an opinion kenny?

"imagine for a moment if the government was run by intolerant posters that didn't like differing opinions? would that be of concern to you?"

It is not fear mongering, it happens. When the Catholic Church took over the John James Hospital in Canberra the IVF Program was booted out - it was one of the best programs for those seeking IVF treatment.

Personally I don't think it is the place of Churches to run hospitals in a secular society where different views may conflict with Church dictates as far as treatment is concerned. There was a ridiculous situation here where the Catholic Church was handed Calvary Hospital on a platter and in later discussions about returning it to government the greed factor over shot any consideration about public good. (PS this is not an anti-Catholic rant-this case happened to involve the Catholic Church but could easily have been any other).

However, that said, as long as there are sufficient alternative treatment centres, I cannot see the religious right in NSW having an overt influence on health. The quality of healthcare will be solely up to government competency and ability to address a wide variety of health needs particularly in regional NSW.

As a voter I would only ask for value for money and an emphasis on essential services rather than vote-buying fluff policies of which both sides of government are rather too focussed.

If the new NSW government fails to achieve they will also be booted out next time around (if the ALP has got its act together by then).

Hi Kate,

Look I am not going to argue the ethic's of IVF, Stem-cell Research, Cloning, Vasectomy, Abortion/Right to Life, Euthanasia etc. I have various shades of opinion on each.

But I have two points.

Firstly I don't see the policy of any privately operated instution, even if receiving funding from us taxpayers, need be discussed. It's a fact and we should just accept it and work alongside it.
Secondly it is more a comment on the ineffectiveness and wastefulness of state labor governments that such a huge proportion of our health and aged services are now left to be operated by churches.

That's what needs to change. Minimise their influence by funding health and aged care instead of national parks, huge bureauracies, excessive and intrusive governments, wastful spending and green initiatives. All of which have developed expotentially in the states under Labor Governments... and that trend is now apparent federally.

Keith:” Firstly I don't see the policy of any privately operated instution, even if receiving funding from us taxpayers, need be discussed. It's a fact and we should just accept it and work alongside it.”

Are you drunk?