2 days Ago By Kat Wong and Tess Ikonomou
The prime minister is hoping for a clean bill of political health as he tries to shore up Labor support with a hospital announcement in WA. or signup to continue reading Though Labor maintains a strong base in the state, Anthony Albanese is visiting for his 30th time as prime minister to try sandbag support early in the campaign. "I get enthused by meeting Australians and getting out and about and representing this amazing country," he told ABC radio.
"I've been to WA 30 times, I'm in the 20s when it comes to South Australia and Tasmania, I'm in the teens when it comes to visits to Northern Territory." The prime minister has worked hard to curry favour with West Australian voters, even allegedly scuppering his own environment minister's deal with the Greens after a call with the state's premier. And in March, voters rewarded Labor by giving the party a landslide result at the state's election.
Most federal seats in WA are expected to stay in Labor's hands, though a battle is expected in the new electorate of Bullwinkel and the party is hoping to wrestle the marginal seat of Moore from the Liberals. Ian Goodenough, who has held Moore for more than a decade, will recontest his seat as an independent at the May 3 election after he was ousted as the Liberal candidate. Mr Albanese will join WA Premier Roger Cook in Perth on Monday to announce an election pledge of $200 million towards the redevelopment of the St John of God Midland Public Hospital.
The state government will cover the rest of the cost of the $355 million upgrade, which will deliver more hospital beds, operating theatres and a new intensive care and emergency department. Framing the election as a choice to protect Medicare, Labor is expected to make further health-related announcements within days. Mr Albanese says only his party is strengthening Medicare with the largest spend in more than four decades.
"This means more free trips to the doctor, cheaper medicines and more urgent care clinics where all you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card," he said. While Mr Albanese went on the attack on the first full day of campaigning by going to coalition-held seats in Queensland, he visited the safe Labor seat of Canberra on Sunday. Labor has previously announced $8.
5 billion in funding to strengthen Medicare and make nine out of 10 GP visits free by the end of the decade. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has promised to match that funding, with an additional $500 million commitment to boost mental health support. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team.
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