Policies need more than development — they need implementation, and continuous reform
In his historic Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln described the core of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”1 We were reminded of these words when we witnessed the Rudd Labor Government vigorously emulating this ideal during the recent Australia 2020 Summit.2
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- Medical Journal of Australia, Sydney, NSW.
Correspondence: medjaust@ampco.com.au
- 1. Abraham Lincoln Online. Speeches and writings. The Gettysburg Address. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863. http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm (accessed Jun 2008).
- 2. Australian Government. Australia 2020 Summit — final report. Canberra: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2008. http://www.australia2020.gov.au/final_report/index.cfm (accessed Jun 2008).
- 3. News.com.au. 2020 Summit — the big ideas. Article from The Daily Telegraph. 21 April 2008. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23572203-5016657,00.html (accessed Jun 2008).
- 4. The Hon Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing. Greater focus needed on prevention. 13 February 2008 [media release]. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr08-nr-nr017.htm (accessed Jun 2008).
- 5. Prime Minister of Australia. Joint media release with the Minister for Health and Ageing. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. 25 February 2008 [media release]. http://www.pm.gov.au/media/release/2008/media_release_0090.cfm (accessed Jun 2008).
- 6. Bennett CC. Beyond the blame game. Med J Aust 2008: 189: 31-32. <MJA full text>
- 7. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. Beyond the blame game: accountability and performance for the next Australian Health Care Agreements. Canberra: NHHRC, 2008. http://www.nhhrc.org.au/internet/nhhrc/publishing.nsf/Content/commission-1lp (accessed Jun 2008).
- 8. Southby RF. Health care reform: looking back to go ahead. Med J Aust 2008: 189: 33-34. <MJA full text>
- 9. Wilcox S, Lin V, Watson R, Oldenburg B. Revitalising health reform — time to act. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Health Policy Studies, 2007. http://healthpolicystudies.org.au/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,155/Itemid,145/ (accessed Jun 2008).
- 10. The NHS at 60 [image]. BMJ 2008; 336 (7655): cover.
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