Election 2022: Marginals hinge on health and cost of living

Health and the cost of living are likely to be seat-swinging issues at the election, according to polling revealing an increase in voter concern about both issues in marginal seats.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president Trent Two­mey says the research showed how concern over the cost of health was up significantly since the beginning of the year. Picture: Brendan Radke

Health and the cost of living are likely to be seat-swinging issues at the election, according to polling revealing an increase in voter concern about both issues in marginal electorates.

The polling, commissioned by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, was conducted from March 14-20, with the results tracked against an identical poll conducted in January.

The survey found concerns about the cost of living rose 8 per cent from January, with 25 per cent of respondents naming it as a priority for government to ­address.

Health concerns, such as ­affordability and access, ­increased 4 per cent, with 18 per cent of respondents naming it as important.

The findings come after South Australian Labor leader Peter Malinauskas campaigned aggressively on health policy, in a move seen as helping him achieve a landslide victory over Steven Marshall and stoking Liberal fears the marginal federal seats of Boothby (1.4 per cent) and Sturt (6.9 per cent) could fall to the ALP.

Boothby was among the marginal electorates polled by the Pharmacy Guild. Others ­included Macquarie, Robertson, Lindsay, Dobell, Gilmore, Reid, Cowan, Swan, Corangamite, Bass, Braddon, Flynn and ­Bowman.

The increased concern about the cost of living and health ­coincided with a dramatic ­decrease in the worries over the federal government’s Covid-19 management policies, which was measured separately to health. This fell by 24 per cent.

The poll also found voter concern for defence to be very low compared to other measurers, with just 3 per cent of respondents listing it as a priority.

It comes as Scott Morrison pitches the Coalition as the best party to manage Australia’s geopolitical interests, ramping up ­attacks on Labor for being “weak” on national security.

However, voter concern about the economy and taxes has risen, with 15 per cent of ­voters naming it as a priority.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president Trent Two­mey said the research showed how concern over the cost of health was up significantly since the beginning of the year, as he renewed calls to address medicine affordability under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme ahead of the budget.

Mr Twomey said a reduction in the cost of medicines would benefit up to 19 million Australians and reduce the overall burden on the health system.

“Concern over the cost of health is up significantly since the beginning of this year,” he said. “There’s not many levers the government can pull to ­reduce the cost of living, but it does have the ability to make PBS medicines more affordable for middle-income households.”