Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has continued to spruik the collation's fuel excise policy.
"Have you fuelled up?
"Yes, just now."
"Well, we want to make petrol 25c a litre cheaper."
"Oh that's very good."
"We'll cut the tax in half."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's focus remains on Medicare.
This time, committing to investing $1 billion into mental health services across Australia if re-elected.
"Only Labor has a plan to strengthen Medicare, and what this will do is make sure that more Australians, particularly more young Australians, can get the help they need with this card here, with their Medicare card."
The funding is focused on young people, who are almost twice as likely to have experienced a mental health problem in the last 12 months compared to the broader Australian population.
Half of the funding will go to twenty Youth Specialist Care Centres for young people with complex needs.
And 58 Headspace services for 12-25 year olds will be expanded, upgraded, or established.
Youth Psychiatrist Pat McGorry is a former Australian Of The Year.
He says circumstances at the moment have made it very hard for young people nowadays.
"Student debt, housing, housing costs, climate change, all of these mega trends are conspiring to make the lives and futures of young people much more challenging and pessimistic."
But the announcement was interrupted by a protester.
"Mr Albanese, you say you care about young people, and yet since getting elected your government has approved 33 new coal and gas projects. You are condemning young people like me to a lifetime of climate distasters. Of course we have poor mental health issues."
The 21 year old protester, Alexa Stuart, speaking to media outside.
"Well today, Prime Minister Albanese was having a press conference saying how much he cares about young people. And yet, his government, since being elected, have approved 33 new coals and gas projects. And we know these approvals are fueling dangerous climate change that's going to have devastating impacts on the futures of me and all young people."
She says she is feeling the mental toll of climate change.
"I have experienced eco anxiety since I have been 15. I am worried that that my future will be full of increased floods, fire, famines, and drought."
Labor's promise including establishing 21 new Medicare Mental Health Centres and upgrade 10 centres across the country.
Health Minister Mark Butler conceding that more work is needed to address long term mental illness.
"We think about 230,000 adults with severe and chronic mental illness are currently not getting support from the NDIS or some other funding scheme from state governments."
The package includes a significant investment in the workforce - creating 1,200 training places for mental health professionals and peer workers.
Psychiatrist, and President Elect for College of Psychiatrists Australia and New Zealand Dr Astha Tomar says its desperately needed.
"At least 10 years of under investment in mental health as a system, also in our workforce, is the reason we are, at this pointy end where it is largely a crumbling health system. You know, whether we're talking about the private mental health system or public mental health system, none of them are working."
But it will take a while to build up the workforce.
"Workforce, we have to remember, does not happen overnight. It's almost 10 to 12 years of investment by a government, but also a commitment a person makes in becoming a specialist in psychiatry."
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young welcoming Labor's plan.
"This is a good move. We need more support for people, particularly for young people, who are struggling with getting the help they need. We now call on the government to match us on dental, and getting dental into Medicare."
Mr Butler says the focus is on Medicare's existing remit.
"At the moment, we don't have any short term ability to make a fundamental reform that would be very significant, very costly, because we're so focused on rebuilding general practice, in particular, after 10 years of cuts and neglect. Our party, though, does have ambition. It's in our party platform over time, but it's not going to be over the over the short term."
The coalition has previously announced almost $1 billion towards mental health, including $400 million towards youth mental health, and permanently doubling the number of Medicare-subsidised mental health sessions people can access a year to 20.
The previous coalition government increased the available sessions from 10 to 20 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which Labor since reversed.
Peter Dutton says investment in the system is positive.
"There's roughly about the same investment at this election from both parties into mental health and i think that's a great think. think it is good if we can try and increase the workforce. I think it is good if we can try and provide support to to clinicians."
The Opposition Leader positioning himself as the better economic manager, as billions are wiped off the stock market as a response to Donald Trump's tariffs.
"This election is about who has a better plan to manage our economy in very difficult and uncertain times, who has the ability to keep our country safe in a very uncertain period in history."
Opposition Treasury spokesman Angus Taylor says global issues are being felt in Australia.
"We've seen a crash in our capital markets, in the value of many Australians assets, their superannuation and other investments that they've made. Over the last week or so, we've seen very significant reductions in those portfolios. And of course, that means Australians are poorer than they were just a week ago."
The Coalition has removed a Liberal Party candidate for the New South Wales seat of Whitlam after he expressed controversial views, including that women should not serve in combat roles within the Australian Defence Force.
Mr Dutton says there were other issues too.
"Well, there were a number of issues, not just those that have been made public in relation to the candidate and to the decision to replace Bennett's candidate. That's the decision to take an issue."
Questions have been raised about the stance of opposition Defence spokesperson Andrew Hastie.
The former soldier told Sky News in 2018 that his personal view is that the fighting DNA of a close combat unit is best preserved when it is exclusively male.
Peter Dutton says Mr Hastie's views have changed.
"Andrew Hastie’s view is the same as mine. And that's the position.
"Because it's changed if it is."
"Well, its his position, and I can assure you a government that I lead will have a very strong defence force."
