Australian Politics

In short:

Labor says nine out of 10 GP visits will be free from out-of-pocket expenses by 2030 under an $8.5 billion cornerstone Medicare election funding promise, to be announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday.

The money will fund 18 million extra bulk-billed visits a year, as the government moves to widen free GP access from children and pensioners to a near universal system.

What's next?

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has accused Labor of reckless spending, will need to decide whether to campaign against Labor's plan, which will cost at least $2.5 billion a year once fully rolled out.

The government has cited one ABS estimate that around 8.8 per cent of visits are delayed on such grounds. The number of people in their 20s not going to the doctor has tripled because of cost over the past three years.

But Labor's plan will also depend heavily on whether doctors take up the proposed incentive, particularly in metropolitan areas where rents and staff costs are higher.

The cost to the taxpayer of the bulk-billing expansion when it begins in November if Labor is re-elected starts at $1.1 billion in 2025-26 rising to $2.4 billion in 2028-29. Over the first four years, the total will reach $8.5 billion.