United Voice News
LHMU and HSU launch $1 million anti privatisation campaign
The LHMU and Health Services Union (HSU) has launched a $1 million dollar campaign to fight the Barnett government’s plan to privatise essential services in Western Australia’s hospitals and schools.
The In Public Hands campaign will feature TV and newspaper adverts as well as a dedicated campaign website – www.inpublichands.com.au. The campaign will see unions unite against
the government’s plan to privatise our schools and hospitals.
The first TV advert screened on Sunday night and showed health workers including enrolled nurses, patient care assistants, allied health professionals and administrative staff, hard at work in a WA public hospital.
The media campaign follows on from the recent tabling in Parliament of Labor’s anti-privatisation Bill. If passed, the Bill will make it illegal for the Barnett government to privatise hospitals and schools.
Dave Kelly, secretary of the LHMU said: “The Barnett government is privatising essential services in our hospitals and schools, but it is trying to introduce these changes by stealth
because they know they are not popular.
HSU Secretary Dan Hill said: “Privatisation will result in less money for health and education, because private companies have to make a profit. Privatisation will see the quality of services
in our hospitals and schools suffer and this is bad news for WA families.”
“Already the State Government has announced its plans to privatise the Fiona Stanley Hospital, Midland Health Campus, Albany Regional Hospital and the new childrens’ hospital which will
replace Princess Margaret Hospital. We expect there are more announcements to come.”
