More space at the doctor’s and cheaper pre-school. The major parties have focused on life's essentials as the ACT election campaign rolls on. But both sides have had to defend how feasible their respective plans are.
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00:00Siobhan Tanzer tries to keep on top of her health with regular visits to the GP, but
00:08in recent years she's had to wait a little while longer for an appointment.
00:13That's why her grandchildren often get taken to one of the nurse-led walk-in centres.
00:18There isn't a lot of time to be waiting two weeks to see the doctor, because by that time
00:23they're on to something else.
00:25Though typically a federal issue, access to GPs has bled into the ACT election campaign,
00:32with the Liberals promising to increase the number of visits each year by 200,000.
00:38Its biggest move to build four new walk-in centres, with GPs on site as well as nurses.
00:45This is far more about options and enabling more Canberrans to get that primary health
00:50care where they need it.
00:52Adding a different model of care into that system further fragments the health care system
00:58and makes it even harder for consumers to navigate.
01:01The opposition also wants to shave $100,000 off the hex debt of up to 30 GPs if they commit
01:07to stay in Canberra for five years.
01:10It's pledged a funding boost for research in general practice at the ANU Medical School
01:15and has recommitted to abolishing payroll tax for GPs.
01:20This is my friend Andrew.
01:22In pursuit of all the friends they can get, Labor announced today it would double the
01:27number of free preschool hours for three-year-olds, but it won't take effect for another four
01:32years as the government hunts for more teachers.
01:35It needs to be quality early childhood education for it to have the impact that it needs to.
01:41The expansion to two free days per week essential to make it work for the children who need
01:47it most.
01:48So a lot of services will only take children for two days because one day is simply too
01:52disruptive for the other children in the service as well as for the child attending.
01:58Ongoing policy headwinds no matter who forms the next government.