B.M.A. BOYCOTT OF HEALTH SCHEME IN AUSTRALIA

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 8

B.M.A. BOYCOTT OF HEALTH SCHEME IN AUSTRALIA

CANBERRA, February 23.

The Cabinet has decided that, if it has the power, 1 it will prosecute the doctors who refuse to take part in the free medicine and national health schemes. The Minister of Health. Senator N. F. McKenna, and the Attorney-General, Dr Evatt, will examine the Government’s powers under the relevant legislation. At a Cabinet meeting, Ministers said something should be done to break the deadlock with the British Medical Association over the free medicine service. It was felt that the New South Wales section of the association was chiefly responsible for the deadlock. Dr Evatt and Senator McKenna believe that the enforcement of the existing Act by new regulations and heavy penalties will not conflict with the Constitution, which was altered by a referendum in 1946 to enable the Government to create medical and dental services. SYDNEY, February 23. Dr J. Hunter, secretary of the Federal Council of the British Medical Association, said that if the Government was threatening the doctors it was doing so in a silly way. He believed that the Government had no power to force doctors to write out. prescriptions on Government forms. The doctors throughout Australia were unanimous in their opposition to the Government scheme.