It depends, would it be OK for the government to run a fish and chip shop or supermarket?
It depends on your philosophy as to what a government is for.
Lazy surplus economics is far preferable to lazy deficit spending
I for one don't think it adds value to the economy for the government to run a private health insurance provider (and many other areas that aren't what you could really consider "core")
I would actually prefer the radical approach of seeing a government driven by being pro market (not pro individual businesses) and if individual businesses fall; or are stopped from taking monopoly or oligopoly positions so be it.
Possibly there is a qualitative difference between a health insurer and a fish and chip shop or supermarket?
There is another function of SOE's and that is to keep market competitors honest.
Hypothetically, the government could use it's direct influence in the market to ask lower premiums than competing firms in order to reign in what it deems to be exuberant profit or excessive cost to consumers.
The market price is driven by both consumer and shareholder demands. Government intervention could prove beneficial in this sense.
It depends on your philosophy as to what a government is for.
Lazy surplus economics is far preferable to lazy deficit spending
I for one don't think it adds value to the economy for the government to run a private health insurance provider (and many other areas that aren't what you could really consider "core")
I would actually prefer the radical approach of seeing a government driven by being pro market (not pro individual businesses) and if individual businesses fall; or are stopped from taking monopoly or oligopoly positions so be it.
Oh I consider health core, just not direct government intervention in private health insuranceWell as you said yourself, that depends on your philosophy as to what the government is for. Same goes for as whether you would consider health "core".
Taking fictional licence on what she said Runner. She actually is on the record saying she had mixed feelings over the Phillip Morris issue.
I agree with you regarding the Greens though.
If Arthur Sinodinos has a poor memory he shouldn't be a politician, let alone being a member of the front bench.
Poor memory does not figure for finance whiz
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...inance-whiz-20140403-361ii.html#ixzz2xs17EvYL
"I cant wait to see a caricature of Sinodinos as Shultz saying "i see nothing" "i know nothing" on the front page of the murdock papers."
Isn't the Cabinet Coalition? Maybe they'll have memory loss too.
Shot yourself in the foot there Runner.