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The Forum > Article Comments > Investing in health > Comments

Investing in health : Comments

By Joe Hockey, published 9/9/2008

Poor health and specifically a high rate of chronic diseases cost an enormous amount in terms of productivity.

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Joe, its your government's administration when in power that abolished the commonwealth dental scheme and has me being denied necessary root canal treatment for one of my tooth. I have refused the removal offered, as I was advised root canal was viable. Now I have recurring pain, am always off to the GP for antibiotics etc. Recurring pain at other times with other teeth and a lack of proper treatment has seen me use narcotic analgesics at times regularly for relief. It is us, among other people, that have paid for Australia's prosperity while being denied a share therein.
Posted by Inner-Sydney based transsexual, indigent outcast progeny of merchant family, Tuesday, 9 September 2008 9:44:25 AM
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I had forgotten why I had not voted Liberal in the 2007 election. This piece reminds me. How can a former Minister for Health quote United States experience as a model for good health?

Although private corporations are now interested in the wellness of their employees lets not forget that American health insurance is so expensive its provided as an employment condition which makes the General Motors decision earlier this year to terminate the health insurance of its pensioned employees very cruel.

Lets also remember that a large comparative survey of 65 year olds in both the United States and United Kingdom showed that Britons in the lowest quintile were in better health than Americans in the top quintile. When health care is provided by your employer are you going to seek medical attention for embarassing social diseases or potentially chronic conditions that could lead to your employment being terminated early?
Posted by billie, Tuesday, 9 September 2008 10:17:17 AM
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Joe should look at the health of his (former) Public Service at least those few of us who are shiftworkers. While my department must cover weird hours, the health effects don't carry with them proper remuneration. Living as I have in remote mining towns, I'm aware that the miners receive far better salaries than us mere Public Servants, even though we work shifts much like those of miners (while recognising that our danger factor is rather les than theirs.

Having been in the Public Service for some 30 years it's damn annoying that I have over a year's worth of sick leave credit which will be lost on retirement. Why can't those who have saved their employers heaps of money over the years (though not having to be replaced, or though improved productivity) be rewarded?

I note that Joe made no mention of smoking. One presumes from the continual blast of anti-smoking ads in all media (paid no doubt from tabocco revenues), and moves to ban smokers from many locations, that goverments have some concern about smoking? Why then do they not ban tobacco products altogether? I'd guess the reason is that they don't want to lose all that revenue! Imagine, no smokers anywhere, no butts littering the countryside, no bushfires from careless smoking car drivers, and more to the point (if the dangers are as extreme as claimed), a much healthier population! Problem is, no government will take the electoral backlash nor the loss in revenue when the benefits will be felt by a government of a probably different persuasion a decade down the track.

As a smoker I get annoyed when I hear about people being denied treatment for some ailments by some hospitals. If it ever happens to me, I'll quickly point out that cigarettes are a legal product, and the vast taxes paid by smokers fund a great number of public enterprises.

Want to invest in health, Joe? Ban tabacco products!
Posted by viking13, Tuesday, 9 September 2008 3:58:25 PM
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WOW Joe it sounds like you have discovered you have a heart. I found it interesting that Former ACT Health Minister Michael Moore also had a change of heart. Micheal Moore stated once he became CEO of Public Hospital Association that medical research which might reflect badly on the serving political party was often suppressed.

As ACT health minister Micheal Moore was not interested in how the incorrect application of statistical data distorted the perception that the ACT health care system was the most expensive in Australia, even when the ACT Health spent less per captia on health, than NSW.

The Liberal party always had a very poor perception of the Public Health care system and would prefer to spend the money raised through taxation meant for public services on other projects.
Posted by JamesH, Tuesday, 9 September 2008 5:28:23 PM
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Joe, I hope you didn't write this yourself.

It looks more like the output of a research task you set for a trainee work-experience body.

All your student is saying, is that there are a number of companies - in other countries - who have found that it is a great idea to invest in their employees' health.

In this country we have a major disincentive to do this.

It's called the Fringe Benefits Tax. It doesn't affect government departments, of course, which is probably why it went unoticed.

The quickest and easiest way to achieve results in this area is to exempt business sponsorship of employees' private health insurance, or the provision of in-house health improvement schemes, from FBT.

You really learned nothing as Minister for Small Business, did you?

That's right, you doubled up as Minister for Tourism, and spent your whole time being wined and dined at resorts and hotels.

You really need to get out more.
Posted by Pericles, Tuesday, 9 September 2008 6:19:31 PM
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Is this the same person that supported and delivered Howard's infamous and catastrophic WorkChoices?

While I agree with the message of this article the author cannot really expect us to believe this is nothing more than 'feel good' spin.

The wellness of employees is also affected by their working conditions - hours of work, breaks, OH&S issues, fair wages, penalty rates etal. I don't think Mr Hockey is really aware of the impact, health and otherwise, that WC has made on the lower income sectors
Posted by pelican, Wednesday, 10 September 2008 10:20:20 AM
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