Over 3,000 signatures on petitions calling for the defence and extension of Medicare have been collected by SP members in Melbourne in the past three weeks. Also more than 4,000 leaflets advertising the Medicare rally have been distributed.

SP is calling for a nationwide protest action on September 5th at 5.30pm,
coinciding with the Melbourne rally and the resumption of the spring session
of Parliament, where the Second and Third reading of the Howard cuts to
Medicare will be tabled. Discussions are underway with groups in other
states to have similar rallies at the same time thus making this a National
Day of Action. We are calling on the trade union movement, the Greens, the
Labor Party, and all community and progressive organisations to participate
and lend their support.

The Defend and Extend Medicare Federation, of which SP is part of, now
consists of grassroots action committees in eight Federal Victorian
electoral seats. The aim is to form action committees in all 150 federal
electorates Australia wide.
So far, highly successful public meetings of local Federation affiliates
have been held in the Melbourne suburbs of Brunswick, Preston and
Nunawading.
A further public meeting is scheduled to be held on Thursday
August 14th at 7pm at 128 Holden St, North Fitzroy at the Holden St
Neighborhood House (North Fitzroy forms part of the Melbourne federal
electorate).


To contact the Defend and Extend Medicare Federation e-mail:
defendmedicare@yahoo.co.au or write to PO Box 5035, Alphington 3078 or
telephone 0439 395 489.
Check out their web page at:
www.defendmedicare.cjb.net