Labor’s candidate for Griffith, public health advocate Renee Coffey, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Albanese addressed 200 supporters on Sunday.
Chalmers spoke mostly of the economic challenge ahead, but to cheers from the party faithful, also spelled out why they were there: “There is no more important [electorate] than Griffith.“
The centrepiece pledges were two policies first aired by the Greens – batteries and free GPs. As he did in Tasmania when announcing the $8 billion Medicare subsidy policy in February and when calling the election on March 28, Albanese took out his own Medicare card.
“We honour the promise of this piece of green and gold,” he said to cheers from the 200-strong crowd at the
In a subtle dig against Peter Dutton’s policies that Labor says are similar to Donald Trump’s, Albanese finished his speech by saying Labor stood up for Australian values and did not “beg and borrow” from other ideologies, adding his party would never copy America on healthcare, education or social policies.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers (left), Labor candidate Renee Coffey and former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan at the rally. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“These are uncertain times, but I am absolutely certain of this. This is not a time of cutting and wrecking, of thinking small, punching down, aiming low, or looking back. This is a time for building, building the stronger Medicare that Australians deserve,” he said.
As for Chandler-Mather, don’t expect to see him popping into Labor seats to campaign any time soon.
“I’m mostly sticking to Brissy”, he says. “As a first term MP you can’t take anything for granted, no matter how safe the media says you’ll be.”
