I’ve committed a terrible crime. I don’t agree with a government policy.

My name is Mark Rogers but you might know me as “Grandpa Mark”. I’m a retired computer software programmer and I’m being threatened with legal action by the Australian government.

Over the past few years, I’ve felt more and more worried about what the government is doing to our health system. Cuts to pathology and diagnostic imaging that affect the most vulnerable. The freeze on the Medicare rebate pushing up costs for GPs and other health professionals, and reducing bulk billing as costs rise. Not to mention the billions of dollars have been cut from grants to hospitals.

Then there’s the myths being propagated by our politicians – that Medicare is unsustainable, that Australia’s public health system is bloated and inefficient, and that charging people more to see their primary health professionals will save Australia money. These myths and political spin sway the outcome of elections while the future direction of healthcare is not properly discussed or the options fully understood.

And finally, there are the areas of healthcare that should receive more public attention. Like, why does our government underwrite health insurer’s profits through the private health rebate? And why is our government pursuing international treaties that would lead to higher prices for medicines and allow foreign investors to sue the Australian government in secret tribunals if the government enacts new public health laws?

I see a stronger Medicare building a better future for Australians. That’s why I decided to build my “Save Medicare” website back in December 2014, after attending a meeting of people worried about the future of Australia’s healthcare. I wanted my website to bring together important facts and detailed analysis in one place. I wanted to prompt a proper discussion on the direction of healthcare in this country and give people links to further action. I wanted to exposed the hidden war being waged on our Medicare, that is slowly corroding universality and access.

Australia spends 9.5% of its GDP on healthcare. The Unites States of America spends 17.7% of its GDP on health care with poorer outcomes and not all the population are covered. The USA relies heavily on the private market for health care.

Most OECD countries have adopted publicly funded universal health care because they believe it is the most efficient means of delivering high quality health care for the whole population. Furthermore, Medicare is a driver for future Australian prosperity. A free universal health system like Medicare reduces inequality and that benefit boosts national growth. Despite this, the current Australian government (and other Australian decision makers) are pursuing strategies to adopt a more privatised system.

My website gets a bit of traffic, but if the Save Medicare Sydney community group doesn’t hold a rally and hand out flyers then the hits dwindle. That all changed on Wednesday before last, when I received a letter from the office of the Australian government solicitor. The letter said that I am not allowed to use the word Medicare, or the Medicare green and gold on my website. It threatened court and “damages” for my efforts to prompt a public discussion about what the government is doing to Medicare.

I don’t have the actual true Medicare logo on the website, just the same colours with the words Save Medicare. I can’t see how any thinking person could think I am pretending to be Medicare, or that I am marketing something for personal profit. I’m being pursued like I’m producing and selling a counterfeit product through Aldi or Coles. But the truth is I’m trying to build the brand of Medicare rather than diminish it. It is the government which has threatened Medicare by cutting billions of dollars out of it.

This is a serious situation for me and my family – we own our own home and have some superannuation, but I can’t afford to fight the government myself. But imagine the precedent it would set if I were to back down. For example, imagine if an opponent of WestConnex couldn’t register a domain name referring to the very project that they’re opposing? That’s why I’ve decided to keep my website up, despite the legal threats – and continue to spread the truth about what this government is doing to Medicare.

If you can take a moment, check out the website (www.savemedicare.org) and judge for yourself if you think it’s a threat to Medicare. If you think it isn’t, raise your concerns with your local federal MP – because today it is me, but tomorrow it could be you.