[LINK] Is it me or is it this government?

[Richard]

Bernard,

I can see no conclusion but ideological fanaticism. Even Howard had more 
pragmatism in his make-up.

I could rant like mad, but it would come down to the simple statement 
that the mix of politics, religion, and economic ideology is toxic.

RC

On 27/11/13 10:33 AM, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
> Senate Estimates has just had a session reviewing the Department of
> Health. One of the topics was eHealth and the Personally Controlled
> eHealth Record. (see link to transcript, below)
>
> The Federal Health Minister, the Hon Peter Dutton, is quoted as saying:
>
> “While the previous Coalition government laid the foundations for
> ehealth by getting computers into doctors’ practices, Labor
> comprehensively messed up the next stage and has wasted over a billion
> dollars in its failed attempt at the second phase - moving to personal
> electronic health records”
>
> Meanwhile, this is from the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of
> Australia' web site
>
> "Minister Fiona Nash, the Commonwealth Government’s Assistant Minister
> for Health has decided not to continue ADCA's funding. This includes
> core funding, along with all project funding, effective immediately.
> Minister Nash's decision ignores previous undertakings and commitment
> provided to ADCA in April 2013 about ongoing funding for ADCA to 2015.
> ADCA was informed of this late yesterday, and was advised it was part of
> the government’s budget deficit reduction strategy"
>
> It is reported that the Council has operated since 1966 on an annual
> budget of $1.6 million provided by the Federal Health Department.
>
> The on going cost to the government of the maintenance of the PCEHR is
> (according to the senate transcript) roughly "1.5 million a month" This
> is only a fraction of the cost of the PCEHR, which has delivered not a
> single health outcome.
>
> What kind of priorities does this government have? At the very worst
> they could have waited until the PCEHR review reported in December
> before axing the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council to save a miserable
> $150,000 per month.
>
> This government has been in office for a very short period of time, but
> the evidence is already mounting that they don't give a stuff about
> evidence. They seem to be ideologically driven. They have decided that
> cloud is the best solution and will be putting pressure on governments
> to adopt as much of it as possible. Yet another technology driven policy.
>
> The Senate Estimates transcript is here
> http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=COMMITTEES;id=committees%2Festimate%2Ffdbc4df4-3e21-4c80-a905-44b3e703b991%2F0008;query=Id%3A%22committees%2Festimate%2Ffdbc4df4-3e21-4c80-a905-44b3e703b991%2F0000%22
>
>