David Di Pilla’s HMC Capital is closing in on Healthscope after Australia’s second-largest private hospital operator failed to pay rent due on 11 hospitals his interests own, as Labor seeks to stave off a voter backlash about hospital closures ahead of an election.

The rental breach means Healthscope, owned by New York-based global asset manager Brookfield, is exposed to a potential takeover bid from Di Pilla, an investment banker known for his property deals and a key role in last month’s backdoor listing of Chemist Warehouse.