In the next twelve months Australians will choose a Federal Government and several State Governments. The outcome of these polls will determine the direction of health policy for the next decade. Primary health care is pivotal in the Australian health system. In this issue, we feature five articles based on presentations to the National Conference of the Doctors Reform Society held in Melbourne during October 2000. All deal with aspects of primary health care delivery. Both local issues, such as rural health, and recent developments in primary care in the United Kingdom and New Zealand are examined. A particular focus is on the current activity to corporatise general practice.

This issue also includes articles on refugee health and depleted uranium.

Due to disgraceful problems with the wellbeing of illegal immigrant detainees in Australia, refugee health is currently in the public spotlight. The relevant Minister responsible, or irresponsible, is Philip Ruddock - the man Amnesty International had to publicly ask to stop wearing their badge. Ruddock’s latest contribution to managing difficulties in detention centres is to suggest increased drugging of inmates to make them more compliant.

The potential danger of depleted uranium in weapons is presently receiving attention in the mainstream media because some NATO soldiers may have been affected. In the 21st century it remains acceptable to pulp your opponents during war, but it is now common to believe that combatants and civilians should not continue to die unnecessarily at battle’s end. An editorial in a recent issue of New Scientist compared official reassurances regarding the safety of depleted uranium with those given during the early days of "Mad Cow Disease" ("Uranium-burgers" 20 Jan 2001). One can only hope this analogy proves inaccurate, considering the tonnage of depleted uranium released during three wars in the last decade.

Theo and Andrew

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