Australia’s Labor Government continues to trail in the opinion polls despite announcing an A$8.5 billion (US$5.4 billion) investment in the health system only weeks before an election is expected to be called.
A new poll published on Monday shows the Liberal/National Party (LNP) Opposition leading Labor 52% to 48% on a two party-preferred basis, a day after the major parties pledged to expand the Medicare universal healthcare system by making consultations with doctors free for more people.
The Australian Financial Review (AFR)/Freshwater Strategy poll was conducted between last Thursday and Sunday, according to the AFR.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that if it was re-elected his Government would make the largest investment in Medicare since its creation more than 40 years ago, delivering an extra 18 million bulk billed (free) general practitioner (GP) visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands of doctors.
He said the investment would mean nine out of 10 GP visits would be bulk billed by 2030, trebling the number of fully bulk billed practices to about 4,800.
“It will make Medicare even stronger, help with cost of living pressures and ensure every Australian receives the best health care that they deserve,” Albanese said in a statement.
“This is a policy that lifts up our entire nation and ensures no one is held back, and no one is left behind.
Labor holds 77 of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives, ahead of the Opposition LNP with 58, with an election due to called before the end of May, marking the end of the current three year term.
The Opposition almost immediately matched Labor’s health pledge as part of a $9 billion investment, in an effort to neutralise Labor’s ‘Mediscare’ messaging that its leader Peter Dutton wanted to dismantle the healthcare system.
Dutton said if he was elected his Government would match the $8.5 billion investment in Medicare, which would build on the $500 million commitment already announced to restore critical Medicare funding for mental health support.
“We continue to call on Labor to match this funding and support vulnerable Australians with more complex or chronic mental health conditions,“ he said in a statement.
