SWSLHD and Bowral's Health - 60

Big tobacco ‘pulling out dirty tricks’ in court challenge

2nd Dec 2011 - Medical Observer

 
O'Brien Mark   all articles by this author

Big tobacco ‘pulling out dirty tricks’ in court challenge

BRITISH American Tobacco’s (BAT) High Court challenge to the government’s plain packaging legislation has been rubbished by Quit executive director Fiona Sharkie , who said she expected the challenge to fail.

"What we are seeing is a tobacco industry completely on the ropes, pulling out any dirty trick or tactic in an attempt to undermine this important legislation which will prevent countless Australians from becoming addicted to their deadly products in the future," Ms Sharkie said.

"They have very deep pockets so we expect to see all kinds of nonsense from the tobacco industry over the next twelve months,” she said.

BAT launched the legal action hours after the plain packaging bill received royal ascent, and will argue the legislation is invalid because the federal government is trying to acquire valuable intellectual property without compensation.

No date for the hearing of the case has been set but it is likely to be no earlier than the second quarter of next year.

BAT spokesperson Scott McIntyre said the company had consistently said it would defend its intellectual property on behalf of their shareholders.

"If the same type of legislation was introduced for a beer brewing company or a fast food chain, then they'd be taking the government to court and we're no different," Mr McIntyre said.

The challenge followed legal action launched by tobacco company Philip Morris Asia on 21 November, which served a notice of arbitration with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, claiming the commonwealth is essentially stealing its brands.

"Obviously we'd rather not be in a situation where we're forced to take the government to court, but unfortunately for taxpayers the government has taken us down the legal path," Mr McIntyre said.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said big tobacco just couldn't give up their addiction to legal action.

"They have fought governments tooth and nail around the world for decades to stop tobacco control," Ms Roxon said in a statement.

"Let there be no mistake, big tobacco is fighting against the government for one very simple reason – because it knows, as we do, that plain packaging will work.

"While it is fighting to protect its profits, we are fighting to protect lives."

Tags: Plain Packaging, Nicola Roxon, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris

COMMENTS: 

Misty
2nd Dec 2011
5:31pm

It is amazing that this sick and wicked industry seeks to protect its"market of death" through the courts, an institution that was conceived to defend and protect the rights of those on the receiving end of injustice.

 

Peter Arnold
2nd Dec 2011
8:58pm

"BAT launched the legal action hours after the plain packaging bill received royal ascent"
Could one say that the stink of tobacco has gone to high Heaven?
'Spellchecker' 1, sub-editor 0.
'Pedantic Pete' Arnold

SWSLHD and Bowral's Health - 54

E-health records one step closer

24th Nov 2011

Andrew Bracey and AAP   all articles by this author

Medical Observer

THE federal government has taken another step towards setting up its patient-controlled electronic health records (PCEHRs) system, with Health Minister Nicola Roxon introducing the legislation to Parliament yesterday.

Ms Roxon said the proposed national system – which has attracted criticism from doctors for the lack of remuneration offered to GPs who would be responsible for helping to set up and maintain the records – would drag
the management of health records into the 21st century.

She said individuals' health information was fragmented rather than attached to the patient, resulting in unnecessary retesting, delays and medical errors.

Hospital studies have indicated that 9–17% of tests are unnecessary duplicates, and 18% of medical errors are attributed to inadequate patient information.

Ms Roxon said a government analysis estimated the net economic benefit of e-health records at $11.5 billion to 2025.

The absence of such records demonstrated the difficulties of health reform – "the fragmentation, the vested interests and the balancing priorities".

Ms Roxon said the bill would set up the legal basis for the new system when it starts on 1 July 2012.

She said any Australian would be able to register to have a PCEHR and would be able to decide who could access it and the extent of the access.

Patients and organisations authorised to access the information would be subject to existing privacy laws.

The health department will initially run the system, though this may be transferred to a statutory authority.

An independent council would advise on clinical, privacy and security matters.

Debate on the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Bill 2011 was adjourned.

 
Tags: PCEHR, E-health, Roxon, legislation

SSWAHS = SWSLHD + SLHD and the Medicare Locals - 63

Second wave of Medicare Locals announced

• By Michael Woodhead on  4 November 2011 - 6Minutes

An additional 38 Medicare Locals have been announced by Health Minister Nicola Roxon today.

However, only 18 of the new Medicare Locals will be established from 1 January 2012, while the remaining 20 will be part of a third wave of 25 Medicare Locals to commence from 1 July 2012.

In total there will be 62 Medicare Locals, including the 19 that have already been announced and which are in the process of being established from “high performing”divisions of general practice.

The Medicare Locals to start in January are:

NSW: Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Nepean-Blue Mountains, North Coast NSW, Northern Sydney and Western NSW;

Victoria: Bayside, Frankston-Mornington Peninsula, Loddon-Mallee-Murray, Lower Murray    Macedon Ranges and North Western Melbourne, South Eastern Melbourne;

Queensland: Central and North West Queensland, Darling Downs- South West Queensland;

South Australia: Northern Adelaide, Southern Adelaide-Fleurieu;    

WA: Fremantle, Goldfields-Midwest, Rockingham-Kwinana-Peel.

Health minister Nicola Roxon said further work was needed for Medicare Locals for North Eastern Sydney and Hunter Rural in NSW, Great South Coast and South Western Melbourne in Victoria and Kimberley-Pilbara in Western Australia.