Payroll Tax Update

/in /by

The payroll tax campaign continues with a joint campaign with  AGPA, RACGP and PCBC  very active in Victoria.

The AGPA leads are Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, AGPA Deputy Chair and Dr Sarah Lewis, AGPA Board Member.

RACGP survey data is now confirming the predictions of the impact of payroll tax with only 3% of Practices considering that they would be able to absorb the tax and 78% of Practices  (95% of Victorian Practices) indicating they would need to raise fees.  The implications of this for the provision of primary healthcare

Since November the joint campaign has

  • submitted revised scenarios for the Victorian SRO seeking a ruling on the scenarios for the applicability of 100% flow of funds to the Independent Practitioner.   These are based on the concepts used in the the Queensland public ruling. A further meeting with the SRO is scheduled.
  • had a public petition read in the Victorian legislative Council.
  • written again to the Premier Jacinta Allen, and
  • made a joint media release as part of a media campaign.

The AGPA Practice Poster – Don’t Tax Health is here.

Printable version is here

AGPA Webinar: Payroll Tax – Administrative Controls. Video Available

/in , , /by
Please Login to view this content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

ACCC opposes Australian Clinical Labs’ proposed acquisition of Healius

/in /by

The Australian GP Alliance made a submission and engaged in a number of discussions with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding our concerns with the Australian Clinical Lab’s  proposed acquisition of Healius. AGPA’s concerns centered around the potential for service quality reduction and the reduction of competition for collection centre rentals. This has the potential to impact on a tender process to establish market rents, with a resultant reduction in the ability to establish rental rate that is higher the assessed value of the property.

On 15 December 2023 the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced that they would oppose the Australian Clinical Lab’s proposed acquisition of Healius

The ACCC has decided to oppose the proposed acquisition of Healius Limited (ASX:HLS) by Australian Clinical Labs Limited (ASX:ACL).

Following an in-depth investigation, the ACCC has concluded that the proposed acquisition is likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in Australian pathology services markets.
The ACCC considers the proposed acquisition is likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of out-patient pathology services, private hospital in-patient pathology services, and commercial pathology services.

ACL and Healius both supply pathology services to the community, private and public hospitals, commercial and government customers, and veterinary clinics. They compete closely with one another and offer services under well-known brands.

“We consider that the proposed acquisition would be likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition as it would combine two of the three largest providers of pathology services in Australia, further consolidating already-concentrated markets,” ACCC Commissioner Stephen Ridgeway said.

 

The full ACCC media release is here