Failures in privatised care starkly illustrate the inevitable failure of neoliberalism
The failures of privatised child care and aged care have starkly illustrated the inability of markets to deliver quality service. The failure applies to all human services.
Recent articles in Health
21 July 2025
Fifty years since that little green card came into being
Gough Whitlam had to do plenty of hard yakka to introduce an universal healthcare system. Today, it is central part of Australia life, and one of our great policy achievements.
21 July 2025
No simple solutions for specialist problems
A referral to a specialist doctor should set patients on a smooth path to the care they need. But it can be more like an alpine hike, with steep fees and treacherously long waiting lists. It’s putting lives at risk.
18 July 2025
The Tasmanian election on 19 July won’t fix the mess
A Joint Commonwealth/State Health Commission could help address health failure.
17 July 2025
Funding models for primary health: Revolution, not evolution, required
One of the authors was recently asked to be part of a panel for a discussion whose title was “Funding models for primary health: evolution not revolution” and where one of the questions asked (in advance to be fair) was “How far did I think we should go on funding alterations to optimise the scope of practice changes that have been proposed, without upsetting too many interest groups to the point where it becomes unproductive for all parties?”
14 July 2025
Localise relationships of care and responsibility
Continual crises in all the health, education and human services industries are no longer exceptions. They are continuous chronic symptoms of what’s wrong with our neoliberalised, marketised care economy.
12 July 2025
Gaza: There comes a time when silence is betrayal
Last week I spent a day fasting, joining medical colleagues and other healthcare workers in a rolling hunger strike to protest what is happening in Gaza. Why are we doing this?
10 July 2025
'Indefensible': Trump budget law subsidises private jet owners while taking healthcare from millions
A provision of the budget law that President Donald Trump signed last week will leave taxpayers to pick up the tab for the private jet industry and billionaire high flyers.
9 July 2025
The disastrous consequences of an epidemic of misinformation about the safety of vaccines
None of the “Ship of Fools” Donald Trump appointed to head his major government departments was qualified for their new roles.
8 July 2025
Should Australia legalise commercial surrogacy?
Labour of Love; Magic Happens; The Greatest Gift. These are just some recent Australian news headlines promising good news stories about surrogacy and happy families.
7 July 2025
Achieving health equity in Australia
The recently launched World Report on the Social Determinants of Health Equity, by the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2025), paints a stark picture of the differences in ill-health, poor well-being, disease and mortality within and between countries, that arise from unfair and avoidable social conditions.
5 July 2025
Ocasio-Cortez calls Trump's budget bill 'deal with the devil'
It explodes our national debt, it militarises our entire economy, and it strips away healthcare and basic dignity of the American people. For what? To give Elon Musk a tax break and billionaires the greedy taking of our nation.
4 July 2025
Saving the NDIS doesn’t need to cost more money
The Albanese Government has a lot hinging on the successful delivery of savings earmarked from the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
