Dan Harrison
Dan Harrison is Health and Indigenous Affairs Correspondent for Fairfax Media. He is based in Canberra.
Sunday explainer: The impact of a doctored plan
Dan Harrison The cost of seeing a doctor is almost certainly going to rise. How did we reach this point and what is the change going to be? Dan Harrison explains
Don't aim too low on constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples, Kirstie Parker, of NCAFP, tells Tony Abbott
Dan Harrison Prime Minister Tony Abbott's commitment to constitutional recognition has pleased one of indigenous Australia's leaders, but she fears he is "aiming too low".
Co-payment will hit bulk billing, AMA predicts
Dan Harrison Many medical practices will shift from bulk-billing to charging patients the full cost of their visit up front in response to the Abbott Government's proposed GP co-payment, doctors have predicted.
Tony Abbott promises 'fair and frugal' advertising campaign on GP co-payment
Dan Harrison Prime Minister Tony Abbott has promised any taxpayer-funded advertising campaign to promote his new GP co-payment plan will be "fair" and "frugal.
Young Australians could face lower living standards than parents
Dan Harrison The promise of each generation enjoying higher living standards than its parents is at risk in Australia, partly due to ballooning spending on older people funded by deficit budgets, according to a...
GP tax gone again
Mark Kenny and Dan Harrison Tony Abbott has abandoned his on-again/off-again $7 GP co-payment, acknowledging he cannot get the unpopular policy up and that it was causing major political pain to his government.
Mental health organisations cut services and staff amid funding uncertainty
Dan Harrison Mental health organisations are cutting services and shedding staff because of uncertainty about their funding, according to the sector's peak body.
Health Star Rating System website re-launched after controversy
Dan Harrison Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash has launched a system for rating the nutritional value of foods, almost 10 months after shutting down a website which promoted an earlier version of the...
World Dementia envoy Dennis Gillings warns dementia could wipe out 20th century health gains
Dan Harrison The "ravages of dementia" could wipe out much of the hard-won health gains of the 20th century, World Dementia Envoy Dennis Gillings has warned. By Dan Harrison.
Remote indigenous towns fear trauma and dislocation as bulldozers roll in
Dan Harrison Isolated indigenous communities are being targeted for closure due to the high cost of maintaining them.
Indigenous leaders call for Tony Abbott to intervene on remote communities
Dan Harrison Australia's elected Indigenous leaders have called on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to intervene to save remote indigenous communities from closure.
Julie Bishop dismisses suggestions of cabinet rift over Medicare co-payment
Dan Harrison, Mark Kenny Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has dismissed suggestions of cabinet divisions over the controversial Medicare co-payment as "a complete and utter beat up."
First Australian health workers depart for Ebola hot zone
Dan Harrison The first contingent of Australian health workers will depart for West Africa on Friday to prepare to tackle Ebola in an Australian government-funded treatment centre.
Senate censures Defence Minister David Johnston as PM says he has his 'full confidence'
Dan Harrison, David Wroe Prime Minister Tony Abbott has expressed his full confidence in his Defence Minister in the face of sustained parliamentary pressure to sack him.
LNP senator Ian Macdonald to co-sponsor medicinal cannabis bill
Dan Harrison Liberal National Party senator Ian Macdonald will co-sponsor a bill to legalise the medicinal use of cannabis nationally.
National Drug Strategy Household Survey: Bad habits twice as common in the bush
Dan Harrison Australians in remote areas are twice as likely to smoke daily, engage in risky drinking and use methamphetamines than those in cities, according to figures to be
Tony Abbott denies breaking promise on the ABC: We have 'fundamentally kept faith' of voters
Dan Harrison Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied he has broken a pledge not to cut funding to the ABC and SBS, telling Parliament his government had "fundamentally kept faith with the Australian people".
Patrick Dodson warns Aboriginal people will be refugees in their own country if communities close
Dan Harrison Eminent Aboriginal elder Patrick Dodson has lashed the Abbott government's decision to cease funding for essential services in remote communities, a move that has contributed to one state government...
We do not believe the Great Barrier Reef is in danger: Julie Bishop
Dan Harrison Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says she does not believe the Great Barrier Reef is threatened, insisting Australia is doing everything possible to protect the environmental icon.
Jacqui Lambie coy on future with Palmer United Party
Dan Harrison Palmer United Party senator Jacqui Lambie says she expects to make a decision early next week about her future in the party.
