As Mr Howard today said farewell to outgoing Health Minister Dr Michael Wooldridge, the Doctors Reform Society calls upon the Prime Minister to inform the Australian people who will be the next Health Minister.

"We would like to know will the next Health Minister, be Tony Abbott, David Kemp or Bronwyn Bishop?" asked Dr Tim Woodruff, President of the Doctors Reform Society today.

"As Health Minister, Dr Wooldridge has presided over a massive transfer of funds from the public purse to the private sector. These funds, over $2 billion annually, could have addressed the critical shortage of nurses in our public hospitals and aged care facilities, reported in the media today" said Dr Woodruff.

" This massive transfer of funds cannot continue in its present form. As a future Howard Government is committed to maintaining the private health insurance rebate it is therefore committed to even more tax-payers money going to the private sector" said Dr Woodruff.

"Therefore the DRS calls upon the Prime Minister to issue a core commitment to maintain Medicare in its entirety and not move to create a two-tiered US style health system in a future government" said Dr Woodruff.

31 October, 2001

CONTACT:

Dr Tim Woodruff
President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Peter Davoren
Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

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