ABSTRACT
The usual vital statistics of the population are very similar to those of Canada and, like most developed countries, Australia faces an increasing aged population. Dissatisfaction with the health system was reinforced by the promulgation of Labor's Medibank plan, based on the Scotton and Deeble compulsory national insurance scheme. Although the scheme faced great resistance by the Australian Medical Association, conservative state governments, and health funds, it ran remarkably smoothly for its six months of operation before Labor was defeated. Australia once again has a comprehensive health policy designed to provide essential medical and hospital care for the whole population, with the option of self-insurance for those requiring private hospital treatment and a choice of doctor. As in all developed countries, the proportion of gross domestic product devoted to health services is large. Medical education in Australia follows closely the British tradition.
