The previous Croakey post noted the glaring absence of health from the election campaign.
If voters are hanging on health policy discussion to determine how they swing, tonight’s non-debate offers no help. The leaders and their questioners were seemingly uninterested in discussing health in any substantive way.
Does this matter? Given the standard of policy and debate around asylum seekers, perhaps there are advantages to not being a subject for election campaign attention.
But at least some observers are not impressed, according to the commentary at Crikey’s live blog of the debate, as per below.
7.02pm Comment From chris newman:
When do we get to talking about health. Its the big issue for the next few decades
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7.05pm Catherine Deveny:
When are they going to mention education or health? #debate [via Twitter]
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7.06pm Comment From chris newman:
Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health ! Lets get onto health
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7.31pm Dan Barrett:
Debates like this make me wish that Nicola Roxon was our lady PM.
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7.17pm CatherineDeveny:
45 minutes in. No education. No health. No environment. #debate [via Twitter]
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7.23pm Andrew Crook:
Great discussion on Indigenous Affairs so far
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7:23 Comment From LJW:
no questions on health? education?
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7:24 Comment From JJ:
Education?? Health??Pensions???
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7.24pm Comment From DrMobs:
Health, health health and medical research FTW. Please
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7.25pm Comment From Scmods:
An entire debate without a single mention of health, what a joke
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7.25 Comment From Guest:
Health was a major concerns in voter land last year. Why isnt it an election issue?
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7.26pm sophblack (Crikey editor):
CR: me! they’ve just scratched the surface of… nothing. we’ve been watching air for an hour….
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7.26pm Comment From Chris:
E-health? One puny mentioned. Health health Health health Health health Health health Health health
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7:27pm Comment From Arthur:
You can see why we need more funding for mental health.
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Enough said…
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Update, 27 July. At last some movement – Julia Gillard today announcing mental health initiatives.
Meanwhile, in case you missed it and really are a masochist, here is the transcript to the dull debate. If you want a real debate with some colour and movement, last night’s QandA was far more interesting.
When you spend 35 mins talking about asylum seekers it doesn’t leave time for much else.
Who cares? This nurse disappointed nurse does.