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Happy Thursday.
The dream lives on!
Last night, the Matildas won their third Olympic qualifying match with a 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in Perth.
During the game, Sam Kerr made history when she kicked the Matildas' 900th goal.
The next steps towards the Paris Olympics will be the qualifying play-offs in February.
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
“[The Conservative Party] thinks COVID is just nature’s way of dealing with old people, and I am not entirely sure I disagree with them.” – Then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on COVID policy in December 2020, according to an advisor’s diary entry presented as evidence this week to the country’s ongoing inquiry into its pandemic response.
The stat
$13,320
The amount Channel 7 has paid in penalties after Australia’s media regulator found it broadcast a gambling ad at 10.38am, outside of the legal hours for betting advertisements. It’s the maximum penalty the regulator can impose.
Today in history
1976: Jimmy Carter was elected as President of the United States. At age 99, Carter is the oldest living U.S. President.
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
The International Monetary Fund says Australia’s inflation is still too high, and has recommended the RBA continue to lift interest rates, as well as further government measures to limit inflation. The RBA will meet next Tuesday for its monthly cash rate meeting, with experts tipping a rate rise.
Australia’s High Court has ruled that convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika’s citizenship should be restored. In a decision handed down yesterday, six of the High Court’s seven judges ruled the Australian government was unable to strip Benbrika of his citizenship, a move taken by then-Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in 2020. PM Anthony Albanese said his government will consider the implications of the decision.
I've got 1 minute
Meta has started rolling out an ad-free subscription service for Instagram and Facebook users in Europe.
It means users can pay to have ads removed from the platform, for $AU22 a month for smartphone/app users, or $17 a month for web browser users.
Those who don't subscribe can continue using the platform for free with ads.
Why?
Meta's ad-free subscription was launched in response to laws around user data collection and consent in the European Union.
It comes after Meta was fined $650 million over its advertising policy.
Users could not access Facebook or Instagram unless they consented to their personal data being collected (for targeted advertising), in breach of EU data laws.
Meta Australia
Meta said its ad-free subscription "balances the requirements of European regulators while giving users choice".
However, there are no current plans to roll out the subscription elsewhere, including in Australia.
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I've got 2 minutes
Changes to Medicare aimed at giving GPs more incentive to bulk bill patients came into effect yesterday.
It means bonus payments will triple for GPs who don’t charge out-of-pocket fees to older patients, low-income patients, and children.
The changes were announced in the Federal Budget in May. It comes amid a sharp fall in bulk billing rates.
The Government subsidises GP visits through Medicare.
The current subsidy for a basic consultation under 20 minutes is $41.40 – meaning a GP can charge a patient any amount, and the patient will then be reimbursed $41.40 through Medicare.
This means the patient pays for the 'gap' (any amount above $41.40). Alternatively, the GP can bulk bill.
So, how does bulk billing work?
Bulk billing
Instead of charging the patient, a GP can accept the $41.40 subsidy as the full price for a consultation, and receive payment directly from Medicare instead. This is called bulk billing.
The average patient who is not bulk billed is charged $42 above the subsidy level.
The incentive
The bulk billing 'incentive' is a payment given to GPs who bulk bill certain patients.
These patients include children under 16, people over 65, welfare recipients and those with low incomes.
The incentive is higher for patients who live in regional, rural or remote areas, where patients (like lower income patients) are less likely to be bulk billed.
The change
The bulk billing incentive will triple for all face-to-face 'general attendance' consultations longer than 6 minutes, and for telephone and video consults longer than 20 minutes.
For example, a GP can now claim $20.65 (up from $6.60) for patients in urban areas. The incentive in the most remote areas has risen from $12.70 to $39.65.
Note: 'General attendance' excludes special categories such as chronic disease management, minor procedures and mental health items covered by the Better Access program.
What it means for you
The incentive is paid to GPs by Medicare after a patient receives a bulk-billed treatment, meaning patients do not receive any direct financial benefit.
However, eligible patients may benefit from the incentive if it encourages more GPs to bulk bill, as the Government hopes it will.
Falling rates
The change comes after a sharp decline in bulk billing rates in the 2022-23 financial year.
According to Government data, 80% of GP services were bulk billed in 2022-23, down from nearly 90% the year before.
Some experts dispute these figures, suggesting the true rate is much lower. Bulk billing rates vary significantly by area.
GP concerns
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) and the Australian Medical Association welcomed the incentive. However, GPs warn cost pressures will continue to force them to charge patients more.
The RACGP is currently campaigning against Victorian and ACT Government decisions to change how GP clinics are treated for payroll tax purposes, which they say will heighten cost pressures.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has expressed concern about these changes.
Give me some good news
A recycling scheme offering a 10-cent refund for recycled drink containers has launched in Victoria.
Most aluminium, glass, plastic and liquid drink containers can be returned to reverse vending machines and over-the-counter sites under the system, which is hoped to cut the amount of litter in the state by half.
A message from our sponsor
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A TDA tidbit
Is it a plane? Is it a bird? No, it’s Heidi Klum as a peacock!
For Halloween this year, Klum – known for her all-out-completely-over-the-top costumes – dressed as a peacock. But not just your average costume. It was made up of 10 other people who executed a theatrical performance of acrobatics and human lifts. Klum was dressed in blue velvet while her “collaborators” were in peacock-printed, velvet morph suits.
Klum’s husband, Tom Kaulitz, was dressed as an egg. A peacock egg? We’re not too sure.
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