Election Factsheets
The 2004 Federal Election will be a pivotal one for workers. Find below tools and resources for activists to use while campaigning in Election 2004.
ACTU Health Factsheet – read what health professionals say about the state of bulk billing and our hospitals, five things the Howard Government’s Medicare ads don’t tell us and things that you can do.
ACTU Work and Family Factsheet – read what union members say about balancing work and family responsibilities, the Work Life collision, and about what the ACTU’S Work and Family Test Case.
ACTU Work Factsheet – read how the world of work is impacting on Australian workers, the changing face of the workplace, the future of work and the Liberal vision.
ACTU Education Factsheet – read what teachers and students say about the state of our education system, counting the costs to education of eight years of Liberal Government and things you can do.
For more news, information and resources visit the ACTU’s Election Website.
Media Releases
Medicare Deal Kills Bulk-Billing Yet Subsidises Millionaires - The Howard Government's Medicare safety net deal kills off the universality of Medicare and yet will now provide millionaires with the same subsidy as single working people surviving on as little as $340 a week. (11 March 2004)
Low Wage Singles To Suffer From Howard Government 'Medicare Plus' Proposals - Senators should refuse to pass the Howard Government 'Medicare Plus' package while it discriminates against single people on low wages and dismantles bulk-billing for all families, the ACTU said today. (13 February 2004)
Howard's Medicare Package Will Destroy Bulk Billing - The ACTU called on the opposition parties to save Medicare and reject the Federal Government’s attempt to destroy bulk billing when a Senate committee considers the Government’s health package today. (19 January 2004)
Abbott's Two-Tier Medicare Attacked - The Federal Government's Medicare changes are under attack today from union and community groups opposed to a two-tier health system. (03 November 2003)
Medicareplus - A Minus For Working Families - The Federal Government’s watered-down
Medicare changes announced today would still leave most working families
out-of-pocket with substantial health costs, the ACTU said. (17 November
2003)
75%
Support ACTU Medicare Push - New polling for the ACTU shows three-quarters
of Australian voters support a union policy push for more government funding of
health and education services and 70% would even support an increase in the
Medicare levy. (17 August 2003)
Community Unites Against Howard’s Medicare Changes - 02 May 2003 - Leaders of health, union, welfare, church, and political groups will meet in Melbourne today to oppose the Howard Government’s planned Medicare changes.
Rising Health Costs Push Working Families Towards Poverty - ACTU - 30 April 2003 - Low-paid working families are being forced closer to the poverty line by rapidly rising health costs, the ACTU will tell the Senate’s inquiry into poverty today.
Howard Forces Working Families To Pay Three Times For Medicare - 28 April 2003 - Working families will pay three times to visit the doctor under Medicare changes announced by the Prime Minister today.
Speeches and Opinion
Mark
Latham's Speech To ALP Conference - Work and family balance, a fairer
workplace, casuals, Medicare and better opportunities for working Australians
and their families were key issues for Mark Latham in his speech to ALP
conference today. (29 January 2004)
ACTU
National Executive Meeting Press Conference - Hugh McKay outlines the trends
in Australian society emerging from his social research and ACTU President
Sharan Burrow congratulates the new ALP leader Mark Latham. (02 December 2003)
Living And Working In Australia
Strong economic growth is not building wealth for all Australians and there are a large number of people in this country who are struggling argues ACTU Secretary Greg Combet.(14 November 2003)
Simon Crean's Speech To ACTU Congress - How do we expect our young kids today to get a start in life when they're being saddled with a financial burden to get a tertiary education and for healthcare asks Labor leader Simon Crean in this speech to ACTU Congress. (19 August 2003)
Australians Want A Fair Country Back - Fairness, tolerance, 'a fair go' - these are the values Australia has always aspired to but they are now in contest says ACTU President Sharan Burrow in this address to ACTU Congress 2003. (18 August 2003)
Greg Combet's Speech To ACTU Congress 2003 - The labour movement must rebuild its power in this country, not for its own self interest, but in the interest of a decent and fair society argues Greg Combet in his address to ACTU Congress 2003. (18 August 2003)
Greg Combet’s Speech On The Launch Of Future Strategies - ACTU Secretary Greg Combet outlines the values and goals of a union movement again on the march at the launch of Future Strategies – Unions Working For A Fair Australia. (08 May 2003)
Sharan Burrow's Opening Address To Medicare Summit - Bulk-billing has been eroded on John Howard's watch - from 80% in 1996 to 69% in 2003 and in all too many outer suburbs and regional and rural communities it is almost non-existent says ACTU President Sharan Burrow.(02 May 2003)
Campaign Materials
A Plan To End The Bulk-Billing Crisis - This paper from the National Medicare Alliance outlines a plan to ensure free and affordable access to primary health care for all Australians. It identifies a crisis in declining rates of bulk-billing among GPs and rising co-payment costs. (Download as a PDF.)
ACTU Factsheet – Medicare is one of the world’s fairest and most efficient health systems. (Download as a PDF.)
ACTU Congress 2003
Medicare and other health issues will be major items on the agenda at the ACTU Congress 2003 to be held from the 18-21 August in Melbourne. For more information: