Policy and messaging focus →

Labor and the Coalition are sharpening their election messaging, with Medicare, infrastructure, and public service cuts emerging as key themes. 

Labor is looking to strengthen its appeal to voters on healthcare by announcing an A$8.5 billion Medicare package, promising that nine out of 10 GP visits will be bulk-billed by 2030. This aligns with cost-of-living pressures, a major voter concern. The Coalition swiftly matched the commitment “dollar for dollar” and included an additional A$500 million for mental health services, neutralising Medicare as a campaign wedge — at least for now. 

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pledged to fund the Medicare commitment through A$24 billion in public service cuts, framing it as an efficiency measure. However, scrutiny over where these cuts will fall could prove problematic. Many of the 36,000 public service jobs created under Labor include NDIS fraud detection teams, aged care inspectors, and veterans’ affairs workers — roles that voters may not support cutting. The lack of detail on where savings will come from may leave Mr Dutton vulnerable to demands for specifics. 

Meanwhile, Labor’s heavy infrastructure spending in Victoria signals internal concerns over voter dissatisfaction in key seats. The Werribee by-election’s 10 per cent swing against Labor was a warning sign, leading the government to announce major projects, including an overhaul of Sunshine Station and A$1.2 billion for suburban roads. The strategy aims to counter perceptions that Labor prioritises inner-city projects over suburban needs. However, while infrastructure projects promise long-term benefits, they may not address immediate economic pressures on mortgage holders, renters, and small business owners, potentially limiting their electoral impact. 

With the election likely to be called within weeks, both parties are seeking to define their core messages. So far, Labor is positioning itself around Medicare, infrastructure, and cost-of-living relief, while the Coalition is running on fiscal responsibility and government “efficiencies”. Whether voters accept Mr Dutton’s savings plan without questioning its consequences, or see Labor’s infrastructure push as genuine rather than reactive, will shape the campaign’s trajectory. Labor also needs to combat poor perceptions about their ability to implement the policies and measures they announce.