As the major parties unofficially begin their federal election campaign, we have already seen a well known political phrase re-enter the front pages of papers, news websites and nightly tv bulletins across the nation: ‘Mediscare’.
For those that bore witness to the rise of mediscare as part of the 2016 federal election campaign, the resurgence is no new concept.
The term began when former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke kick-started what was soon dubbed the first ‘Mediscare’ campaign, spreading the message that Medicare was at risk of privatisation under the Coalition.
No matter what the then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull did, including being quoted as saying “Medicare will never, ever, ever be privatised,” voters didn’t trust the then government to keep their word.
The issue of Medicare dominated the media, with healthcare becoming a key issue for voters in marginal electorates.
Backed in by stakeholders such as the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) running ads about potential Coalition health cuts and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), who handed out a million replica Medicare cards to voters in major metropolitan areas and marginal electorates across the country – particularly in the last three days, after the election advertising blackout, the campaign had a firm grip on the election cycle.
A thorough grassroots campaign, ‘Mediscare’ became seen as one of the most effective political campaigns in recent memory. An Essential Media poll taken during the campaign found that 50% of voters thought it was likely the Liberal Party would attempt to privatise Medicare if it won the election.
In both 2019 and 2022, Labor continued to push the narrative that they were the party of Medicare versus the Coalition, which some claimed was a return to ‘Mediscare’-style campaigning.
In 2025, healthcare will be a central election issue, with both major parties seeking to accuse the other of investing less in health. Already, Treasurer Chalmers has begun claiming that the Liberal Party would “come after Medicare.”
Our role at London Agency is to analyse the dominant narratives and perceptions shaping health policy this election and keep our clients informed.
What do we know about the major party’s healthcare election commitments so far?
The Labor Government is reportedly considering changes to how GPs are paid under Medicare. They are also expected to focus on the PBS and urgent care clinics as they promote health policies as a form of cost-of-living relief to voters.
Meanwhile, the Liberals have created a page on their website named ‘Health Facts’ to counter what they allege is another Mediscare campaign from the Government.
To combat claims they are weak on healthcare, the Coalition is pointing to data showing that in the year to March 2024, 77.3% of GP attendances were bulk billed compared with 88.5% when Labor was elected in May 2022.
A key healthcare policy of the Liberal Party is to restore the number of Medicare-subsidised psychological sessions from 10 to 20.
What to look out for
As we move closer to the final cutoff for an election in May, we expect to see a lot more election commitments and announcements on healthcare from both parties. Repeated messaging thus far indicates that healthcare will both be an important issue and potentially a negative issue, with both parties looking to criticise the other’s record on health.
While these scare campaigns can be distracting and unproductive, with political scare campaign adverts seen to drive voters away from major parties, they continue to prove effective in marginal seat battles. In these seats, every vote changed can be the difference between which individual is sent to Canberra. The most marginal electorate in the country, Gilmore, is held by just 0.17 percent. Seven further seats are held by less than one percent.
London Agency will continue to offer political insight to our clients to ensure they are prepared for the 2025 election and are ready to respond. If you would like more information or to schedule a meeting with our Public Affairs team, please contact us.
