As we approach the 2025 federal election, healthcare has emerged as a key battleground issue, with new polling revealing the Coalition is leading the Government on the key issue of healthcare.
A recent survey, commissioned by medical specialist communications firm London Agency through Resolve Political Monitor, shows healthcare has become the second most important issue for voters, narrowly behind the ongoing cost of living crisis and overtaking housing availability and affordability.
The survey, which polled 1,614 Australians in January 2025, found that 32% of voters believe the Coalition is best suited to manage healthcare, compared to 29% for the Labor government. A further 13% said minority parties like the Greens would be better to manage Australia’s healthcare than both the major parties, with 25% undecided.
The news is even worse for the Government in marginal seats, with the Coalition opening a 33% to 27% lead.
With healthcare firmly in voters’ minds, there are signs that the Labor Government’s narrative on healthcare may not be swaying public opinion in the way they had hoped.
London Agency Managing Director John Emmerson said the poll should serve as a wakeup call to both major parties. “We continue to see healthcare grow as an issue for many Australians, especially as cost-of-living concerns strain wallets,” Mr Emmerson said.
“For the last three years healthcare has been a sleeper issue – it has now woken up. The results show that Australian people want medicines and medical technology to be prioritised and to hear how both major parties will be help their families to stay healthy.”
“Australians want to see healthcare investment as a key pillar of both major parties’ election platforms.”
“This is a battle that is there to be won, if either side is willing to be bold enough.”
Amongst undecided voters, 31% remain unsure of which party is best able to manage healthcare, a reflection of the uncertainty many Australians feel about the healthcare system.
While 85% of respondents agree that healthcare should be a priority for government funding, Labor’s track record on healthcare seems to be failing to make the impact they would have hoped.
For the Coalition, the data suggests that there is an opportunity to sway voters. While they aren’t seen as overwhelmingly better at managing healthcare, they are ahead of Labor on this front. With 56% of soft voters indicating that government investment in healthcare will influence their vote, this issue is up for grabs.
As the election campaign heats up, expect healthcare to remain front and centre in the political debate.
