Page 3319 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 24 November 1992
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MR BERRY: I want particularly to point members to inequalities which occur in the health of Australians. My comments are taken from a paper described as "Enough to make you sick - How income and environment affect health". It is the National Health Strategy Research Paper No. 1. It is dated September 1992. It points out that disadvantaged groups have the poorest health. They make the most use of primary and secondary health services, but they are the lowest users of preventative services. Their poorer health status largely explains their greater use of primary and secondary health services. A whole range of issues are dealt with in the paper, but a few that I might mention will be of interest to members. It says:
Compared with children of high socioeconomic status, disadvantaged children have higher death rates from the following causes: hypoxia, sudden infant death syndrome, accidental drowning ... disorders related to short gestation ... motor vehicle traffic accidents ...
Compared with adults of high socioeconomic status, disadvantaged adults have higher death rates from the following causes: pneumonia ...
This will get worse under the Hewson package because what it sets out to do, firstly by way of the regressive taxation plans of the Federal Liberals, is to reduce the spending power of lower and disadvantaged groups, particularly when it comes to the purchase of health services.
Mr Humphries: Health is exempt from the GST. Are you thick or what?
MR BERRY: Here he goes. They intend to create a class system in health services. They want to have a hospital service for the rich and the well off, and another hospital service for low income earners. The ones who can afford expensive private hospital insurance, the ones whom the Liberals ask us to subsidise, will be able to get into the hospitals for the well off and, of course, that is what - - -
Mrs Carnell: No, that is now.
Mr Humphries: They certainly cannot now; that is for sure.
Mr De Domenico: There are 1,972 Canberrans on the waiting list.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, please! Members, I remind you of the standing order which asks you not to interrupt.
MR BERRY: It is a very important question that Ms Ellis asks. We need to focus on the difference between us in these matters. The GST and all of the grab bag of glitzy bits and pieces that go with it from Dr Hewson and his cohorts will result in a lower economic status for a lot more people across Australia. This will mean that they will have less access to health services. It will also mean that they will be caught in a poverty trap. These people do not seem to understand or do not seem to want to understand that sort of thing because - - -
Mr Kaine: And you do not believe what you saying, either.
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