SPEECH TO THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB “Delivering on the promise of Medicare: Labor’s vision for a truly universal health system” CANBERRA WEDNESDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2019 Thank you Sabra for that introduction and thanks everyone for having me here today. Tomorrow, Bill Shorten and the Prime Minister will deliver their annual Closing the Gap statements to

LABOR’S PLAN FOR LONG-TERM HEALTH SYSTEM REFORM A Shorten Labor Government will break the “boom and bust” cycle of national health policy by creating a powerful new expert commission to develop and oversee the long-term reforms needed to ensure every Australian can access affordable, high-quality health care. If elected this year, Labor will establish a

SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH INTO PARALYSIS AND SPINAL CORD INJURY A Shorten Labor Government will provide $1.65m in support for the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation to help them find a cure for paralysis and for the Foundation’s functional therapy program. There are approximately 15,000 Australians living with a spinal cord injury. Every day, one more Australian experiences spinal cord

BILL SHORTEN MP LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION CATHERINE KING MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE MIKE KELLY MP MEMBER FOR EDEN-MONARO FIONA PHILLIPS LABOR’S CANDIDATE FOR GILMORE LABOR WILL BUILD THE EUROBODALLA HOSPITAL A Shorten Labor Government will boost health services for people in the Eurobodalla Shire by investing $25 million to help build

CATHERINE KING SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE MEMBER FOR BALLARAT JULIAN HILL MEMBER FOR BRUCE LABOR TO FUND DANDENONG HOSPITAL UPGRADES A Shorten Labor Government will improve health care for the people of Melbourne’s south by investing in urgent upgrades to Dandenong Hospital. Labor’s $14.5 million redevelopment of the hospital’s outdated outpatient and day

THE HON CATHERINE KING MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE MEMBER FOR BALLARAT THE HON MARK BUTLER MP SHADOW MINISTER CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY MEMBER FOR PORT ADELAIDE LABOR TO DELIVER MEDICARE-FUNDED MRI SCANS FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL Thousands of people in Adelaide’s West will benefit from affordable access to life-saving medical scans under

CATHERINE KING SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE MEMBER FOR BALLARAT JULIE COLLINS SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGEING AND MENTAL HEALTH MEMBER FOR FRANKLIN HEALTHCARE COSTS AND WAITING TIMES UP AGAIN UNDER MORRISON The cost of seeing a doctor continues to rise under the Liberals, prompting millions of Australians to delay care or seek it in

MORRISON NEEDS TO EXTEND MY HEALTH RECORD OPT-OUT The Morrison Government has failed to adequately address lingering security and privacy concerns about the My Health Record as the opt-out period comes to an end. Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt were dragged kicking and screaming into accepting Labor’s amendments and an extension to the opt-out period

BILL SHORTEN MP LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION CATHERINE KING MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE JULIE COLLINS MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGEING AND MENTAL HEALTH RICHARD PASCOE LABOR CANDIDATE FOR HINKLER ZAC BEERS LABOR CANDIDATE FOR FLYNN LABOR WILL BUILD NEW COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTRE IN BUNDABERG A Shorten Labor Government will improve mental

CATHERINE KING MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE MEMBER FOR BALLARAT CATHY O’TOOLE MEMBER FOR HERBERT LABOR TO BUILD NEW WARD AT TOWNSVILLE HOSPITAL A Shorten Labor Government will improve health care for people in north Queensland by building a new 33 bed ward at The Townsville Hospital. Labor will invest $13 million to