INDEPENDENT NEWS

National Lurching Back To Muldoonism

Published: Fri 27 Jun 2008 11:04 AM
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Health
National Lurching Back To Muldoonism
"National's list of core values is a sham," said Libertarianz health spokesman Richard McGrath today, slamming his National Party counterpart, Tony Ryall, who last week said a National Government would refuse to lift existing price controls on the fees GPs can charge their patients. "They claim to champion individual freedom and choice, competitive enterprise and limited government. State controls on prices are none of the above."
Dr McGrath - a general practitioner - believes doctors should be able to charge whatever price they feel is fair compensation for services rendered, as a way of balancing supply and demand. "If a GP charges too much, patients will go elsewhere. If patients are happy to pay the doctor's fee, then what is the problem?"
The Libertarianz Party has a deregulation policy for health which involves privatization of public hospitals, and medical savings accounts which would shift responsibility for arranging health care back to those who receive it. The health care market would be freed up and the Ministry of Health abolished. There would also be massive tax cuts with income tax abolished altogether after five years.
"National have done another 'me-too' on the issue of GP fees – their policies are no different from those of the Labour Party, and a vote for them at the coming election is a wasted vote," Dr McGrath concludes.
"It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz!"
ENDS

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media