Thousands of Kerala鈥檚 26,225 ASHA healthcare workers have been demonstrating for the past month seeking better pay and benefits, reports Karthik Preyeswary.
healthcare
As the Berejiklian government tries to soften people up for "opening up", three residents discuss the harsh lockdown in Sydney West.
The passing of the Greens-initiated motion for a Green New Deal in the Victorian Legislative Council is a significant step forward, writes Sue Bolton.
Privatisation continues to be touted as a quick fix, so the mantra goes 鈥減ublic sector bad, private sector good鈥.
That is, using community funds and resources to build up a vital service or piece of infrastructure, usually over a period of many years, then when there is a 鈥渂udget crisis鈥 selling it off to yield a quick cash injection and the removal of an expense from the ledger 鈥 regardless of whether it is generating income or not 鈥 while giving sweetheart deals to the new owners to ensure monopoly-like conditions to maximise their profits.
The first of a number of rallies organised around Australia to protest a proposal of the Abbott Liberal-National federal government to introduce a $5-$6 "co-payment" for Medicare bulk-billed visits to the doctor was held on January 4 in Sydney. Organised through social media, about 500 attended on short notice.
Rallies will be held in other major cities over the next week. These include:
Perth
3:00 PM, Saturday, January 11, 2014 - Murray St Mall
https://www.facebook.com/events/212272045625191/
Melbourne