Australia’s biggest ever cancer care package the centrepiece of Bill Shorten’s federal Budget reply

Bill Shorten unveiled a $2.3 billion package on Thursday night aimed at slashing out of pocket expenses for cancer patients as the centrepiece of his Budget reply that focused on health, education, tax cuts and equality.

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Bill Shorten has unveiled a $2.3 billion package aimed at slashing out of pocket expenses for cancer patients as the centrepiece of his Budget reply that focused on health, education, tax cuts and equality.

Ahead of an election campaign, likely to begin within days, Mr Shorten has outlined his manifesto for government arguing he can do more for Australians and has a plan to pay for it.

“Australia does best when working class and middle-class Australia gets a fair go, when the economy is managed in the interests of everyone, when the people who create our national wealth get their fair share of the national wealth and when everyone has an equal chance to fulfil their personal potential,” Mr Shorten said.

The reply has laid the groundwork for an election campaign to be fought on issues traditionally seen as Labor’s strengths — health and education — and what Mr Shorten described as a “fair go” for all Australians.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten delivering his udget reply speech on Thursday night. Photo: Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

In a move that is set to be seized on by his political opponents, and serve as a key attack strategy during the election, Mr Shorten did not back down on controversial tax measures on capital gains, negative gearing and what the government has dubbed Labor’s retiree tax.

Instead he argued South Australians would be better off under his government that would reverse cuts to health and education.

Mr Shorten said South Australia would get $256 million, over three years, in additional school funding that would translate to 645 new teachers.

He said funding in TAFE would make up for the 18,031 apprentices lost since 2013 and by removing a cap on university places an additional 160 South Australians could study at university next year.

In a new document titled Labor’s Fair Go Budget Measures the party restated a raft of policies already on the table including a commitment to build 250,000 new affordable homes, a service guarantee for NBN customers, a national integrity commission and an advanced manufacturing fund to help companies diversify.

HEALTH

Mr Shorten described his centrepiece health announcement as Australia’s largest ever cancer care package.

“One in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85,” Mr Shorten said.

“Cancer is the greatest disease burden in Australia, and it carries the greatest out-of-pocket costs in our healthcare system.”

Mr Shorten said almost half of Australian cancer patients pay more than $5,000 in out-of-pocket costs over the course of their diagnosis and treatment.

“More than a quarter of cancer patients pay more than $10,000,” he said.

“Labor believes it should be your Medicare card, not your credit card, which guarantees access to quality health care in Australia.

“Under Labor — if you are battling cancer, you can focus on getting well, without worrying about going broke.”

The Cancer Council estimates each day in South Australia an average of 27 new cancer diagnoses are made and ten people die.

Labor has also vowed to reverse cuts to public hospitals including $31 million over three years to help get more beds in emergency departments and more doctors, nurses and health staff in hospitals across the state.

TAX CUTS

Mr Shorten made no apologies for putting the focus of Labor’s tax cuts on people earning less than $48,000 a year, and instead vowed to deliver more relief for 3.6 million workers.

“57 per cent of Australians who earn less than $40,000 a year are guess what — women,” Mr Shorten said.

He said income tax for taxpayers who earn between $40,000 and $125,000 would be the same as the Liberal’s cuts, However under Labor’s changes, workers earning up to $37,000 a year will receive a tax cut of up to $350, and for workers between $37,000 and $48,000 a year, the value of the offset will increase up to the maximum offset of $1,080.

“We won’t back a plan that gives a retail worker on $35,000 less than $5 a week, while an investment banker pockets more than $11,000 a year,” he said.

“I am pleased to say that in Chris Bowen’s first Budget, Labor will provide a bigger tax cut than the Liberals for 3.6 million Australians, all-told, an extra $1 billion for low income earners in this country.”

EDUCATION

Mr Shorten said apprentices and TAFEs across Australia will benefit from a $1 billion investment under Labor including 100,000 places where students will not have to pay upfront fee.

Half of those places would be allocated for women.

Campus upgrades and rebuilds will also be funded under a $200 million investment.

Mr Shorten has again talked up his party’s early childhood education policy that would give an estimated 19,835 South Australian three-year-olds access to 15 hours of preschool each week from 2020.

WORKERS

In an obvious nod to his union movement background Mr Shorten has promised to reverse cuts to weekend and public holiday penalty rates in his first 100 days of government.

Almost 130,000 South Australian workers in retail, accommodation and food services industries would benefit, he said.

Mr Shorten also restated his commitment to give the Fair Work Commission the tools to help ensure the minimum wage is a living wage in a move that he says will benefit one in ten Australian workers.

He made no commitment to raise the rate of Newstart.

But he did vow to crack down on “dodgy labour hire” companies and “dodgy worker visas”.

WOMEN

Earlier in the day Labor released a 46-page Women’s Budget Statement which put a focus on working women.

Mr Shorten spoke of his hardworking mother, before announcing that Labor would commit more than $2.6 billion over ten years to boost women’s superannuation, and vowed to pay super to mothers on paid parental leave.