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Newsletter Editorial, February 1998
Control is still the Agenda

When I first started warning about the control agenda of Government many years ago I was branded by some as confrontationist. I get less hostility these days.

"Why can't we co-operate rather than confront?"

The answer is simple. Don't pat the dog if every time you see someone else pat it they end up with no arms.

There is simply no future for the profession in conceding one inch of its independence to Government, corporations or anyone else that comes along requesting us to do so. Our independence is our patients independence from Government and other third parties wanting to get their hands on them.

B A Santamaria recently explained why he has been so effective over many years: "The chief factor has been that it [The National Civic Council] has always had a clear understanding of the basic principles on which it was founded; believed that those principles were non-negotiable; and that to compromise them in the face of superior power, would lead inevitably to surrender, defeat and extinction."

I wish I had written it or that Bob Santamaria had done medicine.

The Australian Doctors' Fund was founded on the principles of independence and quality of health care. Nothing has changed.

Plans by Governments, corporations and any third party to control or over regulate the profession will suffer at the hands of ordinary Australians.

This has been no more clearly demonstrated than the results of the Newspoll survey which showed that Dr Wooldridge's attempts to increase Government and third party control of private health care has resulted in the Government being 15 points behind the ALP on the issue of health care alone, which so happens to be the second biggest issue on the minds of all Australians; only a fraction behind unemployment.

As I write this article I am saddened to hear that some medical Colleges are prepared, with Dr Wooldridge, to form a new medical peak body which will oppose the AMAs strong stand on managed care. The idea that our Colleges are intent on moving away from their traditional role of training and clinical standards to embrace a political posture with the help of taxpayers money does not sit well with me and many of my colleagues.

The ongoing role of the Australian Doctors' Fund has never been more relevant. All the more reason for your continued support.

 
Bruce D Shepherd
Chairman