by Kev Moore

Questions over private health corporations big political donations

August 4 2017 https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/48329844/rorris-queries-big-political-donations-by-private-health-corporations/

South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris is questioning why some of the nation’s private health corporations are channelling millions of dollars to a ‘’political party with a privatisation agenda’’.

Mr Rorris said Australian Electoral Commission data revealed that health and pharmaceutical companies had forked out more than $8 million in political donations in the past decade.

He said the vast majority of the donations went to the Liberal Party with Ramsay Health Care – which operates Wollongong, Figtree, Lawrence Hargrave and Nowra private hospitals – one of the biggest donors.

Read more: ‘It’s time to abandon plans to privatise Shellharbour Hospital’

He said from 2006 to 2016 Ramsay Health Care had donated around $750,000 to the Liberals at a federal and state level, while $1.7 million had been donated by Paul Ramsay Holdings.

Sonic Healthcare, BUPA Australia, Swisse Vitamins and Novartis Pharmaceuticals were among the other major political donors.

‘’No reasonable person could come to the conclusion that big health corporations donate to politicians for our health, they’re doing it for their own interests,’’ Mr Rorris said.

‘’Corporations see political donations as their way to get access to politicians and promote their agenda – and their agenda is clearly to increase their market share.’’

Read on –

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/48329844/rorris-queries-big-political-donations-by-private-health-corporations/