Morrison prescribes $100m regional injection

The Coalition has promised $100 million to open up new medicines and treatments for regional Australia.

Scott Morrison has proposed funding for more medical trials in regional areas.

Scott Morrison will promise $100 million to open new medicines and treatments for regional Australia, in a counterpunch to Labor’s health-focused election strategy.

The Coalition’s health spending will increase the number of clinical trials in regional and ­remote parts of the country from 2020.

The Prime Minister’s announcement comes after a week of big health spending promises from Bill Shorten over cancer care and hospitals.

“Rural patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses often have it twice as hard, spending much of their life on the road to get the treatment they need and deserve,” Mr Morrison said. “This funding brings the trials to them but it also means more time can be spent at home with loved ones.

“Our budget management and our plan for a stronger economy mean we can guarantee the essential services like these which Australians rely on.”

Mr Morrison said the new funding would both help sick Australians and increase the research opportunities for Australia’s medical industry.

If re-elected, the government would open expressions of interest for the remote clinical trials in ­October and announce successful applicants in July next year.

Mr Morrison this week has ­defended his government’s record health spending against ALP claims he would “cut” health spending if he won next month.

The cuts to hospitals projected over the next four years by Labor are based on a 50-50 split spending arrangement with the states ­negotiated when the opposition was last in power.

Labor’s campaign on hospital cuts this week has also come as more announcements from the Opposition Leader’s $2.3 billion plan to reduce out-of-pocket expenses have been realised, including $200m for free blood tests.

Mr Morrison has said he ­would fund public hospitals by an extra $31bn over the next four years, and has put $6bn into improving cancer services.

The Coalition has also made a $80m investment into Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.