30 November 2023

Ten key steps towards 21st century health reform

Australians place great value on their health and their health system. They believe that, with some exceptions, the health system is ‘gold medal’ winner by world standards – on access, equity and quality. In its core values, it is a system of which we should all be proud. But, 40 years after the introduction of Medicare, we are now victims of our own success. Our long life expectancies, the miracles of modern medicine and the expectation that all should benefit, mean that it's now under enormous strain.