21 C
Byron Shire
March 27, 2024

Privatisation plan extends to hospitals: ALP

Latest News

Breakfeast, Bluesfest weekend

Victoria Cosford Oh to be a cow with a four-chambered stomach system! Farmers’ market, Bluesfest long weekend, a spot of...

Other News

Zoom meeting

Just to clarify the report that Michael Lyon now declares ‘no’ to developing Ann St and New City Road....

Q&A around Mullum’s CBD upgrade plans

Concept plans on exhibition aim for a palm-free, pedestrian-friendly Burringbar Street, Mullumbimby, with more shade and reduced vehicle access.

Hiatus Beers

Launched to market in July 2022, Hiatus Beers is all about brewing crisp, refreshing, full-flavoured, non-alcoholic beer.  The founders...

Urgent appeal

At last Thursday’s Byron Council meeting a long and dedicated campaign to save rail tracks and restore trains in...

A seasoned bard

Guy Kachel had an idyllic entry to the world of music. Born in Tamworth, he was raised on the banks of the Peel River. The landscape was a fertile ground for his imagination. Seeing this rustic world change, as Tamworth developed into an inland city and friends grew to sometimes troubled adulthoods, provided insights for the artistry that later powered his career as a performer.

Humanitarian catastrophe

The humanitarian catastrophe being inflicted on the people of Gaza clearly demonstrates the morals and brutality of the current...

Shadow minister for north coast and shadow minister for roads, Walt Secord. Photo AAP Image/Mark Graham
Opposition health spokesperson, Walt Secord. Photo AAP Image/Mark Graham

Chris Dobney

The NSW opposition has slammed the state government’s plan to sell a portion of the electricity grid to fund a slew of new infrastructure projects, mostly in Sydney.

The government has said that the sale would be limited to electricity distributors in metropolitan centres and that a percentage of the income would be spent in the regions.

But the opposition believes it is part of a greater ideological commitment to the privatisation of the public sector in NSW, particularly in the area of health care.

The government yesterday unveiled its Infrastructure Update, which shadow health minister Walt Secord says ‘contains three poorly coded references that the Liberals and Nationals were committed to “pursue partnerships with the not-for-profit and private sector”; “pursue more efficient and effective health services”; and “reduce operating costs”.’

He pointed to these as evidence of the government’s ‘hidden plan to privatise hospitals and health services’.

Mr Secord, who has previously criticised plans to outsource surgery at the new Byron Central Hospital to the private sector, says this is ‘code for privatisation and slashing jobs in health’.

NSW premier Mike Baird has indicated he might support medical marijuana. Photo AAP
NSW premier Mike Baird. Photo AAP

‘The Baird Government has an ideological obsession with the private sector providing of health and hospital services and the Americanisation of our health system,’ Mr Secord said.

‘The health system should be for patients and not shareholders,’ he added.

‘We do not want a repeat of the failed 1992 Port Macquarie private hospital fiasco negotiated by the previous Liberal-National Government where the state government had to step in and buy the facility to ensure proper health care in 2005.

‘Under the Port Macquarie model, NSW taxpayers ended up paying for the hospital three times over. It cost $52 million to build, but ended up costing taxpayers $144 million,’ Mr Secord said.

‘The Liberals and Nationals are privatising elective day surgery at Byron Central Hospital and refusing to detail their Maitland-Lower Hunter Hospital plans.

‘Mike Baird is on the record saying that private sector involvement was a way to “transform and improve health care” and said his vision of privatisation for the state’s hospitals extended “anywhere from cleaning to public-private partnership to design, build, operate and maintain the new Northern Beaches Hospital”,’ Mr Secord said.

NSW opposition leader John Robertson. Photo AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
NSW opposition leader John Robertson. Photo AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Higher bills

Meanwhile opposition Leader John Robertson said that the only guarantee from Mr Baird’s plans to privatise the electricity network was ‘higher power bills and a lack of money to fund our hospitals and schools’.

‘This plan is nothing more than more glossy brochures for projects that will likely never be delivered,’ Mr Robertson said.

‘The only thing we do know is that if Mike Baird gets away with privatising our electricity network families across the state will pay higher power bills and the state will lose money that is needs to fund our hospitals and schools,’ he added.

‘There’s only one reason companies buy public assets, and that’s to make money.

‘Privatising electricity will mean higher power bills for families and businesses,’ Mr Robertson said.


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Hiatus Beers

Launched to market in July 2022, Hiatus Beers is all about brewing crisp, refreshing, full-flavoured, non-alcoholic beer.  The founders (Jules Ryan, Nic Sandery and...

Superbowls

Superbowls is your go-to spot for a burst of woodfired flavour! Nestled in Byron Arts and Industry Estate, the cosy haven serves up delectable...

Caper Byron Bay Food & Culture Festival

Caper Byron Bay Food & Culture Festival returns to Byron Bay in May, and this year ‘locals favourite’ pub North Byron Hotel will be...

Records galore!

Byron Bay Easter Record Fair returns again to Ewingsdale Hall. Now in its 15th year, the Byron Bay Easter Record Fair is one of the biggest and best in this country. Matt the Vinyl Junkie has spent years on buying trips to the US and Japan scouring dusty warehouses, shops, flea markets and private collections. He can offer an astounding 30,000 records in one place covering most genres.