ACT political parties focus on doctor visits and childcare costs as election campaign rolls on

ABC NEWS (Australia)

More space at the doctor’s and cheaper pre-school. The major parties have focused on life's essentials as the ACT election campaign rolls on. But both sides have had to defend how feasible their respective plans are.

Transcript

00:00Siobhan Tanzer tries to keep on top of her health with regular visits to the GP, but

00:08in recent years she's had to wait a little while longer for an appointment.

00:13That's why her grandchildren often get taken to one of the nurse-led walk-in centres.

00:18There isn't a lot of time to be waiting two weeks to see the doctor, because by that time

00:23they're on to something else.

00:25Though typically a federal issue, access to GPs has bled into the ACT election campaign,

00:32with the Liberals promising to increase the number of visits each year by 200,000.

00:38Its biggest move to build four new walk-in centres, with GPs on site as well as nurses.

00:45This is far more about options and enabling more Canberrans to get that primary health

00:50care where they need it.

00:52Adding a different model of care into that system further fragments the health care system

00:58and makes it even harder for consumers to navigate.

01:01The opposition also wants to shave $100,000 off the hex debt of up to 30 GPs if they commit

01:07to stay in Canberra for five years.

01:10It's pledged a funding boost for research in general practice at the ANU Medical School

01:15and has recommitted to abolishing payroll tax for GPs.

01:20This is my friend Andrew.

01:22In pursuit of all the friends they can get, Labor announced today it would double the

01:27number of free preschool hours for three-year-olds, but it won't take effect for another four

01:32years as the government hunts for more teachers.

01:35It needs to be quality early childhood education for it to have the impact that it needs to.

01:41The expansion to two free days per week essential to make it work for the children who need

01:47it most.

01:48So a lot of services will only take children for two days because one day is simply too

01:52disruptive for the other children in the service as well as for the child attending.

01:58Ongoing policy headwinds no matter who forms the next government.

Category

Transcript

Recommended