It's good to see debate about hospital funding. I just want to say that in downunderland we have seven health care beuocracies, eight if you count private companies running hospitals for profit. I think this is crazy.
Barfenzie

Unfortunately our politicians did not do or failed Ecomonics 101. They cannot (or will not) understand that in any system (including the health system), when price is zero, demand is infinite and supply has to be rationed in some way or another - in the health system by the use of elective surgery lists and other forms of waiting lists.

Perversely, throwing more money at the system will usually increase waiting lists as patients (and doctors) believe that they will get treated more quickly in the public system, and add their names to the list.

In recent years, Health bureaucrats have done what their Ministers (and Treasuries) demanded - restrained expenditure and operated within budget. The pressures so generated are now evident, in all jurisdictions, not just QLD. The Ministers are reacting consistently across Australia - getting rid of the bureaucrats who did what they asked - rather than addressing the underlying issues of inefficiency, under investment in preventive measures, unreal expectations for access to treatment and unwillingness of the electorate to consider options such as copayments, curtailing access to new technology and witholding treatment to those who have contributed to their own illness eg smokers and the obese or who are in the final stage of life (we keep people lingering in life because we can, not because they have any prospect of recovery or quality of life).

The health system will not be improved by creating scapegoats (as was done in QLD) - we need a rational debate.

Tasmen, the underlying problems with health is wider than that and should be obvious to Des.

Costs are too high due to the high fees of specialists

Why are they so high?

Because there is a serious shortage.

Why is that?

Because we use a training system based on the 17th and 18th century craft guild to restrict entry into the market.

But isn't that to protect standards?

Surely the error rate in surgery that has been documented in a number of peer reviwed journals would dispel that myth.

Then why haven't labour market economists and reformers like Des actively lobbied for micro-economic reform in the health sector?

Because they are class warriors preaching one rule for workers and another for professional elites.