Why the Liberal Party Had No Choice But to Back Labor’s $8.5B Medicare Plan

A Political Playbook Repeated

The Liberal Party’s decision to support Labor’s $8.5 billion Medicare package wasn’t just policy alignment—it was political survival. 

The shadow of Bill Shorten’s infamous 2016 “Mediscare” campaign loomed large, leaving the opposition with little choice but to back the funding boost. 

With healthcare consistently ranking as a top concern for Australian voters, any opposition to increased Medicare funding would have been political suicide. 

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Avoiding a Medicare Backlash

In 2016, then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull barely held onto government after Labor’s claims that the Coalition would privatise Medicare. 

Although unfounded, the attack resonated with voters. This time around, the Liberals opted for damage control by quickly endorsing Labor’s plan, ensuring that they would not be seen as opponents of a strengthened Medicare system.

By matching the policy, they neutralised a potential Labor-led attack that could have swayed undecided voters.

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The Political Cost of Resistance

Had the opposition hesitated, they risked a repeat of the past—losing public trust in healthcare. 

By supporting the package, they have temporarily neutralised a potential election liability. 

This stance raises two key questions: 

Does a bipartisan approach truly win an election?

Is Medicare still a crucial election point nearly 10 years later? 

There is now a clear line in the sand, regardless of whether or not both parties are in support of the growth of Medicare. 

The Liberal Party now needs to differentiate their plan from Labor and show voters that, while they do agree with each other, their approach to Medicare is far superior. 

Whether or not this is true is for voters to decide, both parties could have identical policies. 

This is why, perception in politics is everything, especially during an election year, regardless if you Medi-care or Medi-dont-care. 

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