The question is, who can better manage insurance, in particular for people’s health: government or the private sector?

Privatisation costs the consumer more because whereas governments need to at least balance the books, the private sector must, on top of that, incur a net profit for shareholders.

However, insurance for one’s health is not like say, insuring a motor car. One deals with the health of a human being, the other is for an inanimate object; there is a difference.

For this reason it would seem to be better for governments to at least manage people’s health insurance. 

Politicians are sometimes reluctant to investigate the private sector. A case in point is our prime minister’s reluctance to hold a Royal Commission into the banks, even though the position is apparently so bad that elements within the Coalition itself have called for such enquiry.

I refer to the recent media articles regarding Indigo Shire Council's decision to cease providing Home Support and Community Care services to the residents of Indigo Shire, two years early, even though they are assured of continued funding until 2020.

I commend Mark Florence, Director of Development and Community Services for his comprehensive report to council at the December meeting.

The Commonwealth government and Victorian HACC have been working towards a "user pays" service for many years, in the guise of offering clients more choice and control of their services.

Local government is ceasing to provide community care services because it is “no longer viable or sustainable” for them to compete with private providers.

Mayor Jenny O'Connor stated that the Councillors have consulted with local providers, the union, staff representatives and government departments. The people they did not consult with are the ratepayers of the shire, who pay their wages.

Indigo Shire Council has a “communications strategy” in which Councillors state they are committed to “transparency” and “community consultation”. It appears the decision to advise the government of Council's decision was taken in a closed session. Was Council's own Community Access Advisory Committee involved in the working group?

Future information sessions advising clients of the changes can hardly be interpreted as community consultation. People accept change more readily if they are involved in the process.

Mayor O'Connor says that service recipients would notice little change in the service delivery. They will certainly notice the increased cost of the service, minus the Council's subsidy.

This could affect the amount of service they can afford. And where is the choice for clients if Council has made a recommendation for a provider to the government.

The winner of the letter of the week is Ian Thomas, of Albury. You can collect your prize from the offices of The Border Mail at 1 McKoy Street, Wodonga.