Reforming the Australian Federation has been put under the spotlight by our Federal Government. But what does “reforming” look like? To answer this, the Government has commissioned a White Paper on the Reform of Federation, which will examine and explore issues associated with getting all levels of government to work together better, across a number of key areas, one of which is health.
It’s hoped the White Paper will clarify the roles and responsibilities of our local, State and Territory governments and possibly identify areas where duplication of services and waste can be reduced, if not eliminated – all while acknowledging the sovereignty of the States and Territories.
Health, of course, is a significant talking point for the White Paper, and an issues paper titled ‘Roles and Responsibilities in Health’ was released in December last year, providing some key areas for further consideration.
In her blog, long term rural health advocate and NRWC Director from Western Australia, Mrs Irene Mills AM shares her thoughts on some of these and what they might mean for people living in rural and remote Australia.