Agree 100% 579, lets hope Abbott is like that Liberal wombat they had in Victoria, a one term wonder.
The 'Usual Suspects' have fallen for the Abbott line hook, line and sinker, that so called fiscal crises, yet this mob can find a lazy half a bill to send our boys and girls to fight in another crazy Iraq War. I though the Yanks said it was "Mission accomplished" or some such dribble. In my time, the Conservatives have always gone on about no money for schools, hospitals, etc etc, but have always found plenty to fight in unjust wars all over the place.

Dear Suse,

<<they neglected to realise that there ARE many patients who do only want a quick visit.....for scripts, or test results, or sick certificates etc.>>

One doesn't need to study 7 years to perform such clerical tasks.

The problem are the laws which prevent other people to perform those tasks, for much less pay. Those protectionist laws were instigated by the AMA, which is even more powerful than government.

Why for example shouldn't an adult be able to prescribe their own medicines (unsubsidised, it's not my intention to open the gate wide for mass theft of public funds)? Besides the doctor's fee, what an anguish and time wasting it is, with some people even foregoing their medication because they can't get an appointment or find the time for it.

Is a doctor truly the best expert on whether or not a person tells the truth or is only seeking time off work? I think a policeman can do a better job at that.

Test results can be delivered by the doctor's receptionist, better still the patient can sign their agreement for the results to be mailed directly to them (signature is required to avoid privacy issues).

One more example of the PMO (Credlin and Abbott) totally out of control and incompetent.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/tony-abbott-insisted-on-20-cut-to-medicare-rebate-in-heated-clash-before-backflip/story-fnii5s41-1227188083875

"TONY Abbott defied Treasurer Joe Hockey and the former Health Minister Peter Dutton to impose a “crazy’’ $20 cut to GP rebates before backflipping on the policy he had demanded.

In a highly damaging leak from the powerful expenditure review committee, senior ministers have confirmed they were told Mr Hockey and Mr Dutton opposed the move during a “heated’’ exchange with the Prime Minister.

The warnings included concerns that rolling out new changes to GP consults in the lead up to the Queensland and NSW state election was “crazy’’."

"As the backbench continues to question the Prime Minister’s political judgment and the “command and control’’ approach of his office, MPs insist that the original advice of the Treasurer and the Health Minister was overruled.

However, stung by a grassroots backlash to the policy by his own Liberal MPs, a campaign by GPs and the prospect that the measure was doomed in the Senate, Mr Abbott formed the view that it must be dumped while “taking soundings’’ as he drank beers at the cricket on Thursday."

Yuyutsu,

"Why for example shouldn't an adult be able to prescribe their own medicines...."

That's pretty dumb - if you don't mind me saying. Do you believe that people with no training in the areas of medicine and pharmacology should go about willy-nilly prescribing their own medication?

Although, long-term repeat prescriptions used to be available at the counter - especially for medications that didn't require constant monitoring.

Abbott and Credlin partenership may well be finished soon after a return of parliament. He has blown every chance and still doesn’t get the message.

Abbott has since gone to ground. Probably to keep out of the blazing sun, which he has no interest in [ crap] So much for the 5 % reduction which we were on target for. He may even go into one of his robotic, no speak modes and totally confuse everyone again.

It would be best if the coalition locked him away and just let nature take it’s course, then there is the other problem of that one who calls the shots to overcome. The backbenchers need to un-gag themselves and take charge of what they were elected for, that would be a good start.

It is going to be a dramatic year, pity I won’t be here for 2.5 months, I will be missing quite a lot of action I believe. Not all of this world has high speed internet like Australia is going to get one day, when the dud system is stripped out and replaced by fibre to the house.

A very powerful leak. Big joe has a black eye and Dutton had a chair smashed over his head, that is how Abbott compromises with members of parliament. It's time Abbott was taken for what he is and disposed of.

Abbott's open govt; is beginning to work at last. At least we know what has been happening in the last few days. Will we ever know what his big mouth got us into in Iraq.

All that noise to try and save $1.3billion over the next few years, in typically mean and tricky way.

Meanwhile we're giving $1billion to foreigners to look for MH370 and by their own definitions and calculations, we're "borrowing" twice as much as the ALP to service THEIR now deliberately inflated deficit.

It was never about money, it was about sabotaging Medicare to make it increasingly unworkable while creating a fund to hand money over to what will likely be private companies for "research" while our hospitals crumble.

Backing down at the last minute while claiming that it was in response to medical concerns is just another lie.

It's time to resurrect that term "shambolic".