Marijuana remained Australia’s most popular drug,with about 2.5 million users,while about one million people took the stimulant drug cocaine.
Coalition MPs are warning about the “skyrocketing” sale of vapes to children,and asking if it would be better to regulate and tax the sale,like New Zealand.
While Sydney’s most expensive gap fees were in Wentworth and Warringah,data shows,more than 75 per cent of GP clinics in nine Sydney electorates reported bulk-billing all of their patients.
In several suburban Melbourne electorates,more than 20 per cent of clinics said they stopped bulk-billing all patients during last year.
New data published by the federal government shows there has been a 2.1 percentage point increase in the national GP bulk-billing rate since November.
The gap fees for hip and knee replacements have risen 35 per cent in the past five years,while the out-of pocket cost of other procedures has surged 300 per cent.
GPs want to relieve the burden on those with chronic and complex illnesses,and to provide yearly checks for children.
The overall bulk-billing rate for the 7.8 million diagnostic imaging services carried out in Australia in the September quarter was 76.4 per cent – the lowest since the three months to December 2013.
Federal Labor has been accused of showing contempt for transparency over a shortfall in answers to questions on notice since late October.
From New Year’s Day,all imported disposable vapes – with or without nicotine – will be banned as the first stage of the government’s crackdown to eventually limit vaping to people with a prescription.
Patients of St Vincent’s are no closer to understanding whether their sensitive personal or health records are among the stolen information.