"If Dr Wooldridge seriously wants to take pressure off the public health system as he claimed, then he should give it money" said the NSW President of the Doctors Reform Society, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans.

"It is simply absurd to be searching around for a way to help the public system by giving money to the private system.  The reason the public system has a problem is that the Government has starved it of funds.  The reason that the private system is short of money is because it has higher administration costs and leaves a huge gap that people have to pay.  In short, it is poor value for money and everyone is leaving it.  If the Government believes in 'the market', it should let the private funds die a natural death, or survive on the few people who want to pay more for small luxuries" said Dr Chesterfield-Evans.

"70% of Australians do not want private insurance.  They want Medicare and the public hospital system to work.  And, if asked (which the Government continually refuses to do) they would say that they would rather pay $1 in tax than $2 in private health premiums" said Dr Chesterfield-Evans.

"The administration costs of putting money into Medicare and public hospitals is nil, because the Federal and State agencies are already in place.  The  Government is blinded by ideology to help its private sector mates.  It should look to solving the problems for the Australian people by giving them what they want  and what they promised when they came to office - an effective Medicare and public hospital system, and an end to Federal/State bickering" said Dr Chesterfield-Evans.

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