Martyn Goddard

Martyn Goddard is a public policy analyst specialising in health and state government funding. He was a member of the Australian Council on AIDS and Related Diseases and its clinical subcommittee; as well as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. He also served as a health policy officer at the Australian Consumers’ Association (Choice).

Martyn's recent articles

The PBS is under fire from US drug giants. There’s not much they can do

The PBS is under fire from US drug giants. There’s not much they can do

The drug companies have bought both American political parties. They have not bought Australia.

The great mental health experiment … and why it went so wrong

The great mental health experiment … and why it went so wrong

Half a century ago, governments around the world ditched their old psychiatric hospitals for something they said would work better. It didn't.

The public service: back in from the cold

The public service: back in from the cold

The Albanese government has begun to rebuild Australia's shattered Public Service. The government's fate depends significantly on it -- but there's much still to do.

Rescuing hospitals

Rescuing hospitals

The nation's public hospital system is sicker than it looks. There are practical, affordable ways to make it better -- but not if governments go on doing the same things.

The time-bomb under every state budget

The time-bomb under every state budget

Australia's public hospitals cost too much and achieve too little. Soaring costs threaten to drown state finances while abandoning patients.

A bill of rights is now tantalisingly close

A bill of rights is now tantalisingly close

Australia is the only western liberal democracy without a mandated charter of human rights. It's now closer than at any time in 40 years.

The budget that forgot health

The budget that forgot health

Every element of Australia’s health system is in trouble. But you’d never know it from looking at this year’s budget.

Want to save public hospitals? First, stop being stupid

Want to save public hospitals? First, stop being stupid

Under-funding is not the main reason for the crisis in Australia’s public hospitals. A far bigger problem is systemic stupidity.

Tasmanian politics and the Lambie train-wreck

Tasmanian politics and the Lambie train-wreck

Jacqui Lambie tried to turn her idiosyncratic brand into a sort-of-party. But, like so many of those arrangements before, it's quickly falling apart.

In their last redoubt, the Liberals lurch further to the right and oblivion

In their last redoubt, the Liberals lurch further to the right and oblivion

The Tasmanian election was a disaster for both major parties, but only Labor has a path back.

The campaign to destroy the GST

The campaign to destroy the GST

Australia's system of GST distribution -- despite some serious mutilation by WA -- remains one of the most effective and fairest in the world. That's why the NSW government wants to blow it up.

Medicare is bleeding to death. Will Labor ever do anything about it?

Medicare is bleeding to death. Will Labor ever do anything about it?

GP visits are down 37% since the government took office. But all we get is spin.

We need to talk about Gina and Andrew

We need to talk about Gina and Andrew

Natural resources are owned by the people of Australia, but mining companies dont like paying us for the resources they take out of the ground. And when they look like having to pay more, their response is swift and brutal.

Populism and the fight for democracy

Populism and the fight for democracy

Liberal democracy is facing its most perilous time since the rise of fascism a century ago. Between the Global Financial Crisis and now, the number of liberal democracies has fallen by a third, as the drift towards populist authoritarian leadership gathers pace.

These are the people were locking up

These are the people were locking up

Prisons dont work. When you look at the lives of people being imprisoned, its no wonder.

WAs $40 billion fraud on the rest of us

WAs $40 billion fraud on the rest of us

Jim Chalmers has just added $11 billion to the cost of Western Australias dodgy GST deal. Its an extraordinary case of political extortion. But is it even legal? And will WA have to give the money back?

We spend billions on wellness crap. Why?

We spend billions on wellness crap. Why?

Alternative' medicines and therapies comprise the biggest scam in the country. But if you think that industry is going to be cleaned up ... you're joking.

Private health insurance: and the rort goes on

Private health insurance: and the rort goes on

Theres a government review of health insurance. Heres why you havent heard of it and what needs to change.

Labor's Tasmania split bedevils Albanese's poll hopes

Labor's Tasmania split bedevils Albanese's poll hopes

Something rotten is happening to the ALP in the Apple Isle. Infighting among the Tasmanian branch threatens to spill into the federal election campaign.

A drip-feed of scary numbers about the future.

20 years ago, when Peter Costello launched the first Intergenerational Report, he promised that looking four decades ahead would greatly help long-term decision-making and asset allocation. But the aim did not coincide with the reality.

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