I'll have to agree with spindoc.

I have no idea how the changes will work in practice. I have to admit that most of my knowledge of the health care system is as an occasional patient.

I have also lived and worked in many overseas countries bost developed and underdeveloped and Australia has a good healthcare system in comparison. And yes in all the other developed countries people complain about their healthcare systems too.

As far as the negotiations go the deal was in the bag all the time. The premiers got to gain billions and a look as being tough on Canberra as well as offload healthcare.

Specifically
Rudd got to fullfill his election promise and go in the history books as a reformer. The billions can easily be hidden in with the stimulus package.
Brumby has got an election coming up so needed to look tough on Canberra.
Keneally has inherited a disaster of a government and any tough on Canberra look was going to win some votes.
The SA guy just won an election so he was happy to get rid of healthcare as a state responsibility at no extra gain.
Barnett was never going to hand over another 3rd of WA gst. Canberra already takes a third of WA's gst as well as all the royalties of the Northwest shelf.

Barnett being a liberal probably didn't help either but the plunder of the west feeling crosses party lines. Nobody minds paying taxes when it is used for legitimate purposes like healthcare, education, pensions etc but when those taxes vanish into Sydney's bottomless pit of state corruption then it is only normal for people to protest.

Under the motto of "no taxation without representation" all the other states should get seats in NSW parliament and clean the place up but that is another topic...

Part of the GST needs to be locked into Health Care , having Young Kids and elderly People Dying from Flu , Food Poisoning etc as they did in the past is untenable despite what the Red Necks seem to think .

I am determined to believe that Kevin Rudd is not the right person to be in control of Health Care getting his inputs to "Work" seem always to evade him . We definately must modernize what we have now performs like a 40 yr. old S/H rusty Car .

Why not raise the GST 4% or whatever is required to assure a sensible ongoing Health System . Do we want to be a Healthy Country ? Unhealthy People tend to inadvertently spread their malaise to others .

Can the GST be locked in to Health Care Specifics and lawfully not available for Statues or Drives or Paintings or Portrates or Anything else Irascible Dudes might Covert ?

Good idea but why not raise the medicare levy to reflect the true cost of health care. Or add a medicare component to the GST to tax spendig instead of income.

Very interesting, health reform is the only remaining "big ticket" platform for the government leading up to the next federal election, it is presented as a major reform and yet, no one on OLO can explain it?

C’mon, surly we can do better than this?

Your right Spin Doctor every things right on track all Tickity Boo just as Duddy-Rudd envisaged........Meanwhile some mongrel chucked a magic Bong at Tones , now the poor bugger will have to do another frantic marathon to Peck's back all the errant 30 yr old Liberal's relaxing on the Dole . Jeez it's gunnah be a big ask Tones , what with the price of worms these days , it's pretty hard to get excited .

Meanwhile guess who is josting with Red Kerry crooing up some meritorious "Promises" for everyone to simply die for , be it they must because some of the troup are getting restless nervous indeed !
Kerry wants Rudd the Dudd to stoop for the Group , reignite the passion but the Dudd's not sure Jules would be up to it .................