No room at the Inn

[HBHB]

I think HBHB you missed the first post, my grievance was about the private health cover, the 2 private hospitals were both full, I did ask the nurse the following morning how come they were full and she said because most people are private and they are always full. Though the government should be doing a lot more for the whole health system, they want to sell off medibank private but they will still need more hospitals and people to staff them.
Bribie I have a theory and I think your doctor is right, when I sit there having the chemo I have a good look at the other patients, most are old and overweight which is one of the requirements for getting cancer, I have wondered that once a person retires they may loose a sense of purpose and therefore the drive and if that may be a cause of getting cancer, I would be saying to them what your doctor says ,get off your arse and do something.
As for myself the results after the first round of chemo (9 weeks) were good almost 50% reduction in the size of the tumour I have just completed another 7 weeks and I can tell the tumour has shrunk again I can now swallow without any difficulty ( the tumour was partially blocking my esophagus and preventing me from swallowing, that was the only reason I knew there was something wrong ) I would never recommend chemo to anyone unless it was a last resort it only works on 30% of the patients and cancer can make itself immune to it, apart from that it doesn't do the body any good and it can make you feel like ****, I have a CT scan tomorrow then I have to go back to the surgeon for the result, thanks to all the well wishers who have commented and pm'd me.
I may become a 7th Day Adventist they live longer and are healthier according to research

Not missed altogether mate. It's not just a public health system that gets stretched, it's getting to the point where the private system is as well, as you discovered. But at the end of the day somewhere up around 60% of people presenting to the ED's don't really need to be there in the first place.



Thoughts are with you while you go through this challenge with the Tumour. Here's hoping for a full and speedy recovery.

 

[Bribie G]

I presented at the ED last week with a tick on my neck (Pommy tick virgin). Now I just head to Petbarn.

 

[Dave70]

I may become a 7th Day Adventist they live longer and are healthier according to research

Ba Ha Ha!

Like my mates parents, you'll be disappointed. Greatly.

http://youtu.be/0ive-vWKGNU

 

[AndrewQLD]

I presented at the ED last week with a tick on my neck (Pommy tick virgin). Now I just head to Petbarn.

You could just as easily gone to the Chemist/Pharmacy and saved the public hospital system dollars, my local Chemist removed a tick from my chest in about 30 seconds.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I got a tick right in the groin while holidaying at Mallacoota, I sat on the bed and squeezed it out and put it on the bedside table, it started to crawl off and I cracked it open with my thumb nail. Later I told my wife and took her to the bedroom to show her but the little blighter had crawled away leaving a little trail. Needless to say I made my wife sleep on that side of the bed for the rest of the holiday.

 

[stm]

The key isn't more hospitals, but in educating people when to use it and when to tough it out to see a GP in the morning or when to crack open the packet of band aids.

The system isn't perfect, but would be a whole lot more efficient without numpties filling the corridors.

Problem is if it is free, then no amount of education will fix this. Plenty of bludgers know how to work the system and get free stuff nowadays.

 

[stm]

7th day Adventists live longer because they don't drink, smoke or fornicate ... rules me out (although I don't smoke).

They don't live longer, it just seems that way!!!

 

[stm]

And just to clarify, there is no shortage of revenue coming into the government - have a look at a graph of tax revenue and you'll see it continues to rise dramatically. 49% top marginal rate anyone? If you keep increasing taxes, then no-one will want to work or produce things, and we'll have even more problems with funding hospitals.

Main thing the government can do is stop wasting money on stupid unaffordable schemes, massive welfare for all, and giving money to their mates.

 

[benno1973]

Problem is if it is free, then no amount of education will fix this. Plenty of bludgers know how to work the system and get free stuff nowadays.

There's plenty of options out there, lots of them easier than heading to the hospital/ED. After hours GPs are one option, as are home servicing GPs. We have an after hours home visit GP service available here, completely bulk billed - I'm sure if people were educated on using that for non-emergencies, it would go some way to reducing ED queues. Unfortunately, most people just head straight to the ED when something is wrong.

BTW - For those Perth peeps wanting to get an idea of how long they might have to wait at their local ED, the Health Department have a live system (which might make you think twice about which ED you head to!):

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/EmergencyActivity/edsv/index.cfm

 

[Airgead]

And just to clarify, there is no shortage of revenue coming into the government - have a look at a graph of tax revenue and you'll see it continues to rise dramatically. 49% top marginal rate anyone? If you keep increasing taxes, then no-one will want to work or produce things, and we'll have even more problems with funding hospitals.

Actually that's complete bollocks. Tax revenues per capita are the lowest in just about forever. The government has an income problem. Corporate tax reciepts are plunging. Resource reciepts as a percentage of resource revenue are plunging. Income tax and GST are steady (population adjusted). Expenditures on the other hand are going up. The raw tax reciepts are going up but on a per capita or per unit gdp they are way down. The major source of income now is income tax rather than company taxes (49% tax rate anyone).

Some nice charts here (along with a reasonably nuanced discussion of the issue) - http://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2014/may/01/australia-needs-revenue-reform-tinkering-income-tax-wont-cut-it and more here http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-08/does-australia-have-a-revenue-problem/5420474

Service costs on the other hand are going up. Hospitals, schools, defence, all that stuff.

Seems people want services but won't elect people who raise taxes to pay for them.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Unfortunatly previous governments have offered tax cuts to win elections,,,,,was a race to the bottom basically

You can only cut tax's so far, before you collect no tax at all

We might be a bit better off if we didnt have so many tax cuts and lived within our means a bit better

You know it makes sense

http://youtu.be/lOfZLb33uCg

 

[Liam_snorkel]

yeah the last two mining booms have been largely wasted on income tax cuts.

here is what I was getting at before:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/norwegians-millionaires-norways-sovereign-wealth-fund/story?id=21488085

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

No one (me and you) is ever going to win , its structured that way.
I just bend over and take it like a man.
I gave up worrying about the situation long time ago,ignorance is bliss.
Less stress=longer happier more tax paid life.
Nev

 

[Liam_snorkel]

panem et circenses!

 

[Airgead]

No one (me and you) is ever going to win , its structured that way.
I just bend over and take it like a man.
I gave up worrying about the situation long time ago,ignorance is bliss.
Less stress=longer happier more tax paid life.
Nev

But that is winning...

We have to get away from the idea that paying tax is a bad thing. Its not. Its the contribution we all make to ensuring that we live in a good society. One where we have access to basic services when we need them. One that is fair and equitable.

If we go down the tax is bad path we end up like the US with massive inequality and massive social problems because of it. Parts of the US resemble third world countries (mind you so do many of our remote communities but not to the extent of the US). Whole cities are derelict (detroit) or have been hollowed out in the middle with wealthy suburbs surrounding a decayed urban centre. All because there isn't the revenue to provide basic services and the market won't because once you are poor, you no longer consume so the market ignores you. Markets are great for people with money. They suck balls for people without money.

Lack of basic services locks generations into poverty. No education (no free education and can't afford a paid one) so can't get a job. No transport (no affordable public transport and can't afford private) so can't get to a job. And so on.

Paying tax is a civic duty and I'm pleased to do so. It makes the society I live in a better place. I would gladly pay more so folks like WEAL don't have to wait all night on a trolly to see a doctor.

 

[Blind Dog]

But that is winning...

We have to get away from the idea that paying tax is a bad thing. Its not. Its the contribution we all make to ensuring that we live in a good society. One where we have access to basic services when we need them. One that is fair and equitable.

If we go down the tax is bad path we end up like the US with massive inequality and massive social problems because of it. Parts of the US resemble third world countries (mind you so do many of our remote communities but not to the extent of the US). Whole cities are derelict (detroit) or have been hollowed out in the middle with wealthy suburbs surrounding a decayed urban centre. All because there isn't the revenue to provide basic services and the market won't because once you are poor, you no longer consume so the market ignores you. Markets are great for people with money. They suck balls for people without money.

Lack of basic services locks generations into poverty. No education (no free education and can't afford a paid one) so can't get a job. No transport (no affordable public transport and can't afford private) so can't get to a job. And so on.

Paying tax is a civic duty and I'm pleased to do so. It makes the society I live in a better place. I would gladly pay more so folks like WEAL don't have to wait all night on a trolly to see a doctor.

Nicely put.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Its interesting that the rich do as much as possible to pay the minimum of tax, but expect the full benefit that tax's bring.

But then again, there is Kerry Packer....the golden Quote is at 3:00 mins......

http://youtu.be/nKeu79YSe84

 

[Eagleburger]

My wife is a full-time nurse in a private hospital and moonlights in the public system for a few shifts a week. In the private hospital she will have ~5 patients in her charge, public, typically 2. A lot of the public nurses bitch and moan about their workload to boot.

Fair tax? Death tax. Everyone starts from scratch.

 

[Dave70]

The Japanese arguably became the benchmark in technology and automotive endeavors by pretty much modeling the west.
The Swiss consistently place first in standard of living surveys and boast a joyous and seemingly eugenic population of strongmen and male and female tennis aces.
Lets stop trying to re invent the wheel and just rip off a system that has been shown to produce happy results.

One or two caveats however, we might need to pay for everything. I can recall paying in the order of $1.50 to take a piss in a Swiss public toilet. However, I would have been happy to go no 2 without making an arse gasket of toilet paper on the seat or squatting on the rim to avoid disease. The joint was spotless. No public toilet? You'll likley be buying a $4.50 aud cappuccino if you want to use the cafe's bathroom. Its like a giant ALDI store. Want a trolley? You pay. Forgot your shopping bag? We'll sell you one. The Swiss aren't big on discounting. Thats the price, don't like it, piss off to Italy.
Have a look at the list of relative CPI's of different countries, a pattern quickly emerges, then decide on the lifestyle you prefer.
You cant have it both ways. The Swiss seem to understand this and are obviously happy with the arrangement.

 

[madpierre06]

Paying tax is a civic duty and I'm pleased to do so. It makes the society I live in a better place. I would gladly pay more so folks like WEAL don't have to wait all night on a trolly to see a doctor.

The trouble is that this is more likely to be the mindset of us at the bottom of the socio-economic pile of poop. The further up the pile you manage to drag yourself the greater the desire and ability to minimise the amount you pay (and I refer here to those who have the very greatest of piles of dollar bills). I recall one year reading that Kerry Pcker had reported a taxable income of about $26,000. It is those in this bracket who can afford to avoid paying what is fair and equitable. Along with these are the multinationals who play their tax avoidance games. How about the bastards in power go after these mobs instead of syphoning more and more out of OUR ******* pockets and selling off public assets so they and their mates can add a few more trinkets to their share portfolios. Sorry 'bout the OT, this is something that really gives me the irrits.

Most importantly, WEAL mate I trust your treatment goes well and you get on the improve pretty damn quick.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

The Japanese arguably became the benchmark in technology and automotive endeavors by pretty much modeling the west.
The Swiss consistently place first in standard of living surveys and boast a joyous and seemingly eugenic population of strongmen and male and female tennis aces.
Lets stop trying to re invent the wheel and just rip off a system that has been shown to produce happy results.

One or two caveats however, we might need to pay for everything. I can recall paying in the order of $1.50 to take a piss in a Swiss public toilet. However, I would have been happy to go no 2 without making an arse gasket of toilet paper on the seat or squatting on the rim to avoid disease. The joint was spotless. No public toilet? You'll likley be buying a $4.50 aud cappuccino if you want to use the cafe's bathroom. Its like a giant ALDI store. Want a trolley? You pay. Forgot your shopping bag? We'll sell you one. The Swiss aren't big on discounting. Thats the price, don't like it, piss off to Italy.
Have a look at the list of relative CPI's of different countries, a pattern quickly emerges, then decide on the lifestyle you prefer.
You cant have it both ways. The Swiss seem to understand this and are obviously happy with the arrangement.

You can judge a country by their public toilets:
India=Bad
Sweden=Good
Australia=Medium
Nepal=Toilet ,everywhere

 

[Airgead]

The trouble is that this is more likely to be the mindset of us at the bottom of the socio-economic pile of poop. The further up the pile you manage to drag yourself the greater the desire and ability to minimise the amount you pay (and I refer here to those who have the very greatest of piles of dollar bills).

That is true. But it isn't universal. I'll come out and say that I'm well into the top tax bracket but would happily see that increase to 55 or 60c/dollar as my contribution to a fair and just society.

But yes, greed tends to breed more greed and the more you have the more you want. That's the sort of thing we need to move away from as a society.

We have become so fixated on our individual rights ( a la America's brand of hyper libertarianism) that we have forgotten that the flip side of rights in a civil society is responsibilities. We want all our rights without any of the responsibilities that make those rights work.

And Yeah - most important ...WEAL. Keep fighting.

I'll get off my high horse now before I do something stupid like run for government.

 

[wobbly]

If Australians wish to continue to have the government of the day pay for all manner of social engineering, security and welfare then we will inevitably have to have everyone share the load and accept that higher taxes are inevitable.

Take Sweden for example, a society that is held in high regard because of all manner of social welfare programs that the Swedes pay for through personal taxes and VAT
Individuals pay both national income tax and municipal (council) tax. In 2012 (latest data I could find) the average combined municipal (council) and income tax tables (converted to A$) were:-

• A$0 -A$66,959 = 30% tax
• A$66,959 to A$95,873 = 50% tax
• Over A$95,873 = 55% tax

The general rate of VAT for goods and services in Sweden is 25% of the assessed value. Certain goods and services are exempt from tax or taxed at a lower rate (12% or 6%). With food, hotels and restaurants taxed at 12% and public transport and books taxed at 6% with corporate tax rates being 26.3%.

And of course all companies and businesses should pay their full share as well with items like transfer pricing and inter company loans taxed at an appropriate rate

Wobbly