1 week Ago By Kat Wong
The prime minister has painted himself as a believer, offering a sunny picture of the future while warning of the storm the coalition could bring. Login or signup to continue reading Labor loyalists would not let it rain on Anthony Albanese's parade as he addressed party faithful at a rally on a dreary, overcast day in western Sydney. With polling tilting in Labor's favour and less than one week until polling day, supporters gave the leader a resounding vote of confidence with a minute-long standing ovation as he took to the stage.
The prime minister warned of potential dangers, illustrating the May 3 election with echoes of a fire-and-brimstone preacher. "In the coming days, Australians have a real choice," he said on Sunday. "A choice between building Australia's future or a darker, meaner, nastier reboot of the past.
"A choice between going forwards, or getting dragged backwards." But he soon built up to an optimistic vision, spruiking policies to cut student debt and provide affordable childcare. "Our nation has the momentum - what's so important now is to keep building on it," he said.
Shouts of "we love you Albo" and other exhortations echoed throughout the hall before Mr Albanese, who appeared with fiancée Jodie Haydon, left the stage to Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer". He also used his address to announce a plan that would allow Australians to access free, expert health advice at all hours of the day. If Labor is re-elected, Mr Albanese will commit $204.
5 million to launch 1800MEDICARE, a 24/7 nation-wide health advice and after-hours GP telehealth service backed by Medicare. From January 1, Australians who call the number will be connected to a registered nurse who can provide advice or refer them to another health service. Anyone who needs urgent GP care for something like an emergency prescription or treatment for a short-term illness or injury can be connected to a free telehealth consultation with a GP between 6pm and 8am.
This could prevent an estimated 250,000 Australians from making an unnecessary trip to an emergency department per year, Labor said. While the Australian Medical Association has generally welcomed efforts to improve access, it said the service must be GP-led. President Danielle McMullen warned it could not be seen as a substitute for a patient's usual GP.
NSW Premier Chris Minns, Education Minister Jason Clare and local MP Andrew Charlton also spoke at the rally, which was held in the electorate of Parramatta, held by Labor on a 3.7 per cent margin. The area remains key to the party's strategy as it attempts to win over suburban families who have been acutely impacted by the rising cost of living and aggressively courted by the coalition ahead of the 2025 poll.
The prime minister and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will return to the debate stage for their final showdown of the campaign on Sunday evening. Australian Associated Press Daily Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update.
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