Bill Shorten promised to reverse cuts to pathology and unveiled a new jobs plan at Labor’s official campaign launch, which acknowledged past disunity but claimed the party was ready to govern again.
In front of the former prime ministers Julia Gillard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke, the opposition leader said Labor could win “and we must win”.
“A close-run-race won’t do the job, an honourable second place will not suffice,” Shorten said.
Labor’s health promises were a feature of the campaign launch, including reversing cuts to bonus payments for pathologists and radiologists and the GP rebate freeze.
Shorten accused Malcolm Turnbull of giving the Productivity Commission “new riding instructions to investigate privatising human services and Americanising Medicare”.
Shorten described Medicare as “the community standard, it speaks for who we are” and promised Labor would never privatise it.
“[It is] an echo of an old, uncomplicated sense of solidarity, the belief that the health of any one of us, matters to all of us,” Shorten said.
“It’s also thoroughly modern economic policy. Lifting productivity up, keeping sick days down. Saving employers the expense of health insurance. And Medicare costs Australia less than other countries, for better care.”
Turnbull immediately ruled out the Coalition privatising Medicare and accused Shorten of peddling an audacious lie.
“Medicare will never ever be privatised,” he said. “Medicare will never ever be sold. Every element of Medicare services that is being delivered by government today will be delivered by government in the future. Full stop. That is the fact.
“What Bill Shorten is doing is peddling an extraordinary lie, so audacious it defies belief.”
After the launch, the Coalition claimed Labor had promised another $3.1bn at the campaign launch while Labor said the spending amounted to $1.7bn over the next four years. Full details of the costing terms have not been outlined.
Shorten also unveiled a $257m jobs plan that would give a $20,000 tax break to small businesses with less than $2m turnover if they hire a mature-age job seeker, someone under 25 or a mother returning to work.
Labor said the funding would come from savings from existing wage subsidy programs, which had not been taken up.
Shorten referenced Keating in outlining Labor’s plan for the budget – which the shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, has conceded will run larger deficits than the government over the forward estimates while returning to surplus in the same year as the Coalition.
“Each and every year after that, our surpluses will be bigger and stronger and we will pay down the debt faster because our savings plan is built on structural reform, not savage cuts,” Shorten said. “Paul Keating taught us well.”
The launch, at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts centre in Penrith, was in the seat of Lindsay, which is held by the Liberal MP Fiona Scott with a margin of 3%. The former Labor prime ministers all received standing ovations.
While Kevin Rudd was absent, he tweeted hours before the launch, “Proud to be a member of the Australian Labor Party for 35 years now. Wishing @BillShortenMP all the best for the campaign launch today KRudd.”
With two weeks until the election on July 2, Shorten urged Labor supporters to keep working until election day – even though Turnbull has said the Coalition would win.
“Mr Turnbull says he’s got this in the bag, he claims he’s already won,” Shorten said. “I say to him – you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Shorten said Turnbull’s time as communications minister running the NBN was the perfect preview of his prime ministership.
“Over promise, under deliver and take forever to get to the point,” Shorten said.
Shorten has also promised a Labor government would contribute $400m to build a rail link from north-west to south-west Sydney, which would include the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek.
Shorten also promised to provide $72m for 12 regional suicide prevention projects, funding to keep Headspace centres open in 95 locations and $9m for the foundation of a new National Suicide Prevention Fund to break down social stigma.
Shorten again rounded on the banks, referencing the life insurance scandal and that three of the big four banks are under investigation for rate-rigging.
“Mr Turnbull’s plan will mean a $7.4bn windfall for Westpac, ANZ, the Commonwealth Bank and Nab,” he said. “The banks don’t deserve a tax cut – they need a royal commission.”
He contrasted his own stance on marriage equality with Turnbull, who supports marriage equality but has committed to maintain Tony Abbott’s promise on a plebiscite.
“In modern Australia, no one should have to justify their sexuality or their love to anyone else and, instead of sitting in judgment, instead of providing a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia, we will gift every Australian an equal right in respect of love, nothing less,” Shorten said.
Shorten also asked the audience to consider the recent Orlando massacre and the death of British MP Jo Cox.
“With incomprehensible hatred at their core and inconsolable grief the result,” he said. “In Australia, whatever our political differences, the security of our nation, our commitment to the ADF and the safety of our people unites us all.”
Following the leadership instability of the former Labor government, the themes of unity and detailed policy work were underlined by Labor shadow treasurer Chris Bowen and deputy leader Tanya Plibersek before Shorten’s speech.
Bowen said Labor had won the right to return to “viable alternative” following a landslide defeat in 2013, claiming Labor had done the hard policy work.
Plibersek said her goal as deputy had been to unite the party and work on a detailed policy platform.
“My colleagues on this stage are testament to our unity and to our solidarity, and I would put our people against theirs any day of the week,” Plibersek said. “Under Bill’s leadership, we are as tight a Labor team as ever there’s been.”
