THE impoverished Queensland Government intends closing 10 public patient palliative care beds at Canossa Private Hospital (CL Christmas 2010).
In light of the overt duplicity of our governments today, one might be forgiven for wondering whether the motivation is entirely financial; or whether ideology as demonstrated in the current push for euthanasia may also be a factor.
And federally, for decades the Government has given funds to approved organisations which provide family planning services and training.
Recipients include the Catholic agency Natural Fertility Australia which promotes natural family planning without the use of drugs and other contraceptive devices.
However, the lion’s share of funding goes to organisations promoting abortion, contraception, IVF etc.
Now, in a brazen act of ideological discrimination, the Federal Government will require natural family planning agencies to win a tender to receive funding, which has been capped at $500,000; that is, half of last year’s grant (Catholic Weekly, 19/12/10).
Funding for the non-natural family planning organisations however, will not be subject to tender and will not be reduced.
Small wonder that many people do not hold politicians in esteem.
RICHARD CONGRAM
Carindale, Qld
