Strollerderby

You have got to be kidding me.  Are we missing a back story of some kind?  If not, whoever made this declaration is an idiot - a drain on resources for sure!

Not that I agree with the decision, but remember, once you make one exception, you open yourself up to a lot of other people coming to Australia with pre-existing conditions for the medical care...

Again, not that I agree, I am just trying to point out the Australian government's point of view...

@Dad - I see what you're saying - but the truth is, many of us with medical conditions actually need medical care in order to have a good quality of life - or even to live at all. I understand the "slippery slope" argument, but the fact is, we can't just give medical care to "healthy" people - or, to people whos conditions haven't shown up yet.  With a big enough patient base, the cancer patient, the diabetic, the Down's kid, the teenage amputee, the celiac patient, and the dad with a heart attack - we all will be able to get care without "draining" anyone else (and in turn, when someone in a "healthy" family gets sick, care will be present for them).  People with medical conditions aren't bloodsucking drainers - and some of them become just as important as the healthy folks - like, for example, Stephen Hawking.  Or hey, John McCain!  I am always uncomfortable with the idea that us folk with medical conditions are nothing but a drain, or that it's unreasonable for us to seek care for the terribly difficult things we have to live with.  Surely, you would do the same? Or you would for your child?

Australia does not allow its citizens to adopt children with ANY special needs from overseas too.  They have a very tightly controlled adoption program and if the child you agree to adopt from another country turns out to have an issue they wont let you go get them.  Socialized medicine at its very worst.  

leahsmom - I don't think it is a matter of denying medical care to people who need it. I think their worry is that, with the free government health care, there would be an influx of people moving the Australia just for that free medical care.

Again, I am not saying I agree with their logic, but I can see where they are coming from.

I have a good friends and a sister-in-law who live in Australia.  Yes, they have socialized healthcare but it isn't great.  Most Australians have additional private healthcare either through their workplace or paid for on their own.