Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled an historic commitment to Medicare as the centrepiece of Labor's 2025 Federal Election campaign.
The government has announced an $8.5 billion Medicare boost over four years—the biggest in 40 years, to expand bulk billing and cut GP costs.
Labor aims to ensure nine out of 10 G-P visits will be free by the end of the decade by tripling the bulk billing incentive, adding 18 million visits annually, and saving families $859 million by 2030.
The plan includes 400 nursing scholarships and Australia's largest GP training program for 2,000 doctors.
Mr Albanese says easy access to quality healthcare is key to building a strong and resilient economy.
"Stronger medicare is at the heart of our government and it will be the beating heart of our election campaign. A strong economy depends on a healthy society because if you don't have your health, if you don't have the security of knowing that a great doctor and the best medicine is always in reach; if you have to put off seeing a doctor because you can't afford it, it's not just the individual who suffers but our whole society pays a price."
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has pledged to match the Albanese government's historic funding commitment to Medicare, while Health Minister Mark Butler says the Coalition can't be trusted with the health of Australians.
Following the Albanese government's new $8.5 billion funding boost to Medicare, the Coalition has vowed to match Labor's pledge and blamed a drop in bulk billing rates on the government
"It's important to note 272 GP practices have closed over the course of the last three years, that is a record under this government. So I'm pleased to announce today that the Coalition government is committed to nine billion dollars worth of investment into our general practice network."
But Health Minister Butler claims the weakened state of Medicare comes off the back of repeated attempts by the Coalition's to undermine the public health scheme.
Pope Francis's fellow Argentinian catholics are praying for the ailing pontiff's recovery in Buenos Aires.
The Vatican says the 88-year-old Pope is in a critical condition after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection.
In the latest update, they said Francis received oxygen and blood transfusions after tests showed low counts of platelets, which are needed for clotting.
At a mass held for the Pope at the Buenos Aires parish where Francis lived and worked for many years, Rita Fernandez, expressed her love and concern for the spiritual leader.
"This is a very sad moment, because we know him like he was one of us, because he spent so much time helping us here, that we consider him as a family member. We love him dearly, and it's very sad for us that he's going through this tough time."
In the United States,
A man carrying a handgun and zip ties took hostages inside a hospital in the northeast state of Pennsylvania, fatally shooting a responding police officer and wounding five others before he was killed by police.
The gunman entered U-P-M-C Memorial hospital in the city of York on Saturday morning and went directly to the intensive care unit, where he took staff members hostage, shooting and wounding a nurse and custodian and grazing a doctor.
York County District Attorney Tim Barker says the suspect and police exchanged gunfire after he walked into the hallway holding a female staff member at gunpoint with her hands bound.
"Holding her at gunpoint, coming out into the hallway, the officers, left with no recourse did open fire and did shoot and kill Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz. During the course of the armed confrontation that was caused by Mr. Archangel-Ortiz, there were three officers who were struck."
Officials say Andrew Duarte, a West York police officer, was killed by the gunman.
In tennis,
Mirra Andreeva has become the youngest player to win a W-T-A 1000 title when the 17-year-old beat Clara Tauson 7-6, 6-1 in the Dubai Tennis Championships final.
The Russian teen, who beat three grand slam champions -- Marketa Vondrousova, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina -- to reach the final, will make her top-10 debut in the rankings next week after Saturday's landmark victory.
"Today was not easy but I chose to be there 100 per cent so I thank myself for that and thank you everyone for coming, it means a lot. So I'm just gonna try to play my best tennis in every other touranment that I'm gonna play."
Andreeva says she had set a goal for herself to be in top 10 by the end of the year so making that milestone by February as has been an "incredible" feeling.
Meanwhile, fellow Russian Andrey Rublev has beaten Britain's eighth seed Jack Draper 7-5 5-7 6-1 to win the Qatar Open.
