Abbott Announces Medicare Plus Deal With Senate Independents

Mar 10, 2004

The Health Minister, Tony Abbott, has secured passage of his MedicarePlus package through the Senate, following a deal with four senators.

The deal with Senators Brian Harradine, Len Harris (One Nation), Shayne Murphy (ex-ALP) and Meg Lees (ex-Democrats) gives the government the 4 additional votes it needs to pass the legislation 39-37.

Amongst other measures, the deal involves a reduction in the level of the annual threshold for concession card holders. It also provides for incentives for bulk-billing doctors in non-metropolian areas and Tasmania. Harradine and Murphy both represent Tasmania.

  • Listen to Abbott’s press conference with Harradine, Lees, Harris & Murphy:

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Text of a media release from the Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott.

MedicarePlus

The Government has agreed with Senators Harradine, Harris, Lees and Murphy to further improve MedicarePlus. Australians will have a better health system thanks to the Senators’ insights and persistence. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Audio, Audio2004, Health, Howard, Legislation, Senate Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Meg Lees Under Attack By Democrats; Senate Numbers At Stake

Jun 25, 2002

Senator Meg LeesThe former leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Meg Lees, is embroiled in a bitter dispute over the leadership of Natasha Stott Despoja that threatens to split the party and hand the Howard Government the chance of passing its contentious privatisation of Telstra legislation.

At a meeting of the Australian Democrats’ National Management Committee on June 5, a motion was carried requesting Lees attend a meeting of the National Executive on June 22-23 to “address issues of her comments on the sale of Telstra and perceptions of disunity in the Party”. Another motion described “perceptions of disunity and unreliability” in relation to comments Lees made about Telstra. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Australian Democrats, Senate Tagged With: , , , ,

Democrats’ National Management Committee Minutes

Jun 24, 2002

These are the minutes of a meeting of the National Management Committee of the Australian Democrats, held on June 5, that requested Senator Meg Lees to appear before the Committee to discuss her public statements on the privatisation of Telstra.

The minutes were first published on crikey.com.au.

Democrats' Minutes

Filed Under: Australian Democrats Tagged With: ,

Democrats Demand Loyalty From Lees

Jun 24, 2002

This is the letter sent to Senator Meg Lees from the Acting President of the Australian Democrats, Liz Oss-Emer, on June 10, demanding that Lees explain her public statements on the sale of Telstra and asking that she “commit to fully supporting the elected leadership of the Party”.

The letter was first published on crikey.com.au. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Australian Democrats Tagged With: , ,

Meg Lees’ Letter To Democrats National President

Jun 24, 2002

This is the text of a letter from Senator Meg Lees, former leader of the Australian Democrats, to the National President of the party, Liz Oss-Emer.

It is in response to a demand that she appear before the National Executive. The letter was first published on crikey.com.au.

Ms Liz Oss-Emer
National President
Australian Democrats

Dear Liz

First, let me formally congratulate you on your election as National President and I wish you well. There is much to be done because National Executive is critical to the development and expansion of our party.

In response to your letter of the 10th June 2002, thank you for inviting me to attend National Executive. However, I cannot as I have several long-standing engagements. I therefore accept your invitation to respond in writing and ask that you table the material I have provided for all members of National Executive. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Australian Democrats Tagged With: , ,
«Older Posts