Shorten opens fire with ‘Mediscare 2.0’ salvo

Bill Shorten has used his first big speech of the election campaign to amplify alarm over hospital funding.

Bill Shorten with wife Chloe and daughter Clementine after speaking at a rally at Burwood, in the marginal Coalition-held Sydney seat of Reid. Picture: Kym Smith

Bill Shorten has amplified alarm over hospital funding by claiming Scott Morrison would cut more than $2 billion from health if he were re-elected.

The Labor leader yesterday promised to restore $2.8bn in health funding to states promised by Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.

Health Minister Greg Hunt swiftly accused the Opposition Leader of running “Mediscare 2.0”, citing record bulk-billing rates under the Coalition and a doubling of funding to hospitals by 2024-25.

Mr Shorten, surrounded by his shadow cabinet, yesterday told more than 500 Labor supporters in the Liberal-held Sydney marginal seat of Reid that a vote for Mr Morrison would lead to more ­hospital cuts.

“The new figures recorded today reveal if the Liberals and ­Nationals win the election, they will cut $2.8bn from our public hospitals,” he told the crowd in inner-west Burwood. “After six years of cuts to health, the Medicare patient freeze, the cutbacks and the increased out-of-pockets to see the doctor, after six years of cuts.

“Now the news is that this time, unlike Tony Abbott’s cuts to hospitals, unlike the $715 million the current fellow cut from hospitals when he was the treasurer, this time the decision is in your hands.

“The one thing that every Australian can do to keep Medicare strong is vote for a Labor government on May 18.”

Labor claimed yesterday that NSW had lost $854m, Victoria $635m and Queensland $631m in hospital funding when the ­Coalition abandoned a 50-50 funding agreement with the states.

Mr Hunt disputed the claims and said hospital funding had increased under the Coalition.

“Federal funding has increased for public hospitals from $13.3bn in 2012-13, to $23bn, $24bn, $25bn and $26bn over the course of this budget,” he said.

“By 2024-25, funding will have more than doubled to $29.1bn per annum under the new national hospitals agreement with the states and territories.

“Bill Shorten’s hospital proposal does not mean more money for hospitals,” Mr Hunt said.

Opposition finance spokesman Jim Chalmers refused to say whether Labor was pledging to adopt a 50-50 split of hospital funding with the states over the long term, or just temporarily provide a 50 per cent share by stumping up an additional $2.8bn. “That $2.8bn represents the difference of the 50 per cent Labor had agreed and the 45 per cent the Liberals have cut it back to,” he said.

Mr Shorten’s campaign rally was the third time he has visited the electorate of Reid.

The Labor leader used his first campaign speech to promise $50m to redevelop Concord Hospital, in the seat. He also ramped up his cancer care plan and promised to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

“Your appointments with specialists, oncologists, your chemo, radiation therapy will be covered by Medicare,” he said. “And the cancer medication you need will be funded by the PBS.

“My view is simple and Labor’s promise is straightforward — if you are in the fight of your life, it should not matter whether you live in the city or the bush, it should not matter about your postcode or your personal wealth. Under Labor, there is only one thing you need — your Medicare card.’’