" The ALP announcement of another $500 million for our public hospitals is welcome. It should have been more" said Dr Theo van Lieshout, spokesperson for the Doctors Reform Society.

"The promise to restore the National Dental Health Scheme is also important. It will end much unnecessary suffering for our elderly. Many of our patients are experiencing difficulty eating meat and fruit due to long delays for public dental work" said Dr van Lieshout.

"The present Federal Government’s cutbacks to public hospitals and the Dental Health Scheme has made many Australian citizens apprehensive" said Dr van Lieshout.

"In our public hospitals today, beds are not being used, wards are being closed, operating theatres inactive and nurses are unemployed simply because there are not enough funds. Why, under these circumstances, should we pump almost $2 billion of tax-payers money into a private system which is not in need" said Dr van Lieshout.

"We call on all political parties to attend to first things first and stop the waste of public money into the private health funds. Redirect public money where it’s needed" said Dr van Lieshout.

written and seconded by Theo van Lieshout & Con Costa
10 September 1998