PM turns to personal experience to woo voters on health
The prime minister has visited South Australia where he has made another health-related announcement in his bid to be returned to power on May 3.
The Prime Minister has ramped up the pressure on the coalition over health policy with the help of a friendly state Labor premier for the second day in a row.
The federal government has been keen to make health the central theme of the first full week of the election campaign, with a related announcement almost every day.
On Tuesday, Anthony Albanese visited South Australia, where Labor holds the majority of lower house electorates situated in the state, to shore up voter support.
He began the day by telling voters about the importance – to him personally – of an accessible healthcare system, recounting the “rough deal” his single mother received before the advent of Medicare.
“I bring my experience into public life, I care about health,” he said in Adelaide.
“Labor governments have always made a difference on health.
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“It is absolutely vital that at this election, we strengthen Medicare, rather than undermine it.”
Albanese flagged there would be further health commitments to come in days.
While the polls show Labor has increased its support among voters, the prime minister is running a tight race to hang on to majority government at the May 3 election.
Labor is fighting a challenge from Liberal Nicolle Flint, who’s trying to win back her old Adelaide-based electorate of Boothby, which it holds with a margin of 3.28 per cent.
Another seat considered up for grabs by Labor is ultra-marginal Sturt, which the Liberals have held for more than 50 years.
Albanese joined SA Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas to announce a $150 million commitment to build a new health service for Adelaide’s south.
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Asked if he was taking a leaf out of the popular premier’s state election-winning focus on health, the prime minister joked he was happy to see that link – to the delight of Malinauskas.
“I can’t stress enough that we want a prime minister of this country who understands that people need to have public health care invested in,” the Premier said.
“To you, prime minister, we have a partner that we are very, very grateful for… it’s a partnership that is making a big difference on the ground in healthcare service delivery.”
Albanese also visited Nathaniel’s Coffee and Panini in the electorate of Sturt, alongside Malinauskas and Labor’s candidate Claire Clutterham.
The promised facility would be at the Flinders Health Precinct in Bedford Park, located in the contested seat of Boothby, which is held by Labor.
Flinders University will match funding promised by the federal government if Labor is returned to power.
Once delivered, the Flinders HealthCARE Centre is expected to provide residents with 10,000 extra health appointments and help 1300 healthcare workers graduate each year.
Although cost of living is the top issue for voters, healthcare is the second most pressing priority.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has come under repeated attack from Labor over his record as a previous coalition health minister more than a decade ago.
Dutton has previously said the opposition will match Labor’s $8.5 billion commitment to boost access to Medicare, if the coalition wins the election.
