Albo quiet on health cash split

OPPOSITION Leader Anthony Albanese has promised premiers an audience on health funding should he win the election, but has given no guarantee Labor would pump desperately needed cash into state health coffers beyond piecemeal infrastructure commitments.

Mr Albanese, who is set to be on the hustings in Melbourne alongside Premier Dan Andrews on Tuesday, has not yet made a commitment to fundamentally boosting the Commonwealth’s share of health funding.

That is despite the ongoing push by the states for the federal government to pick up 50 per cent of the bill.

The push to boost the Commonwealth’s share from 45 per cent to 50 per cent is backed by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) as a move that would add about $30bn to the health system over four years.

Asked to clarify on Monday if there would be a move to boost health funding – considering the nearly $1 trillion government debt – Mr Albanese sidestepped a commitment, saying he would “have more to say on health” during the campaign.