BILL SHORTEN MP
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
& ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS
MEMBER FOR MARIBYRNONG
CATHERINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE
MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
GETTING THE NEXT GENERATION TO SLIP, SLOP, SLAP
A Shorten Labor Government will revive one of the most successful health campaigns in Australia’s history, getting the next generation of Aussie kids to slip, slop, slap.
Labor will invest $8.6 million to work with the Cancer Council Australia to relaunch a renewed sun protection awareness campaign.
Australia is the world’s skin cancer capital. At least two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70, and more than 2200 people die from the disease each year.
Despite this, there’s been no significant national investment in skin cancer prevention in more than a decade. The slip, slop, slap slogan has been updated to seek shade and slide on sunnies – but more needs to be done.
We need to keep getting the message out – there’s no such thing as a healthy tan.
Australia’s annual skin cancer medical bill is more than $700 million and rising.
Keeping Australia SunSmart is a worthwhile investment for our health and for the budget bottom line.
This investment is a part of Labor’s Medicare Cancer Plan – our plan to support Australians battling cancer and cut their out-of-pocket costs.
Every Australian deserves quality health care when and where they need it – your bank balance or your postcode should not be barriers to whether you get access to the best health care.
Unfortunately under the Liberals’ savage cuts to Medicare, out-of-pocket costs have increased across the board for GP consultations, specialist consultations and critical cancer procedures.
Scott Morrison has cut $3 billion from the pockets of patients with his Medicare freeze and $715 million from public hospitals – locking in further cuts until 2025.
Labor will reverse the Liberals’ cuts to health, address rising out-of-pocket costs, fund the best cancer care and provide more support for our world-class researchers to step up the fight against cancer.
SATURDAY, 13 APRIL 2019