Welfare states for sale: neighbouring countries and the public-private mix.

There has been less controversy over the ownership of care provider agencies, but interest has grown over the last decade. State and Territory governments claim different views but all have transferred work to the private sector, ranging from outsourcing of particular functions (like cleaning) to complete privatisation – where a private company builds, owns and operates a facility serving mainly the publicly insured. The Commonwealth Government has given indirect support to private providers (including its contentious new subsidies for private health insurance).