FED:Labor spruiks health, online future

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2010
FED:Labor spruiks health, online future

By Sandra O'Malley, Senior Political Writer

BRISBANE, Aug 16 AAP - Labor has moved to define itself as the party of the future,
drawing on its advantages in broadband and health to convince Australians to give it another
three years in government.

Five days out from election day, Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday gave the biggest
speech of her political career - holding forth for 40 minutes without an autocue - at
the official launch of Labor's election campaign in Brisbane.

Labor is hoping the launch will give it enough momentum in the final week of the campaign
to carry it to victory following a rollercoaster four weeks.

At the pointy end of the campaign, opinion polls are moving in Labor's favour, with
the latest Newspoll showing it continues to hold a narrow lead over the the coalition
- 52 to 48 per cent - after the distribution of preferences.

Ms Gillard aims to win voters over with a $392 million package to help people access
health services over the internet and a warning that a shift to Opposition Leader Tony
Abbott would take the nation backwards.

In a decidedly low-key launch at the Brisbane Convention Centre, Labor tried to shrug
off the troubles that have damaged the party over the past few months.

Dumped former leader Kevin Rudd was given a warm standing ovation by the 300 people
who gathered for the event, which lacked the optimism and spirit of the coalition launch
held just metres away eight days ago.

Introduced by her deputy, Wayne Swan, and former prime minister Bob Hawke, Ms Gillard
made special mention of the man she cut down seven weeks ago because the Rudd government
had "lost its way".

"(Kevin Rudd is) a man of great achievements, with great achievements to lie in the
future for our nation. Thank you, Kevin," she said.

While focusing on the positives of the past three years of Labor government, Ms Gillard
warned against the "negativity" of Mr Abbott.

"We're better than that ... we are a confident, optimistic people. There is no challenge
too great that we can't tackle it, if we do it together," she said.

She took inspiration from Labor icon Ben Chifley and United States President Barack
Obama in her appeal to voters to make the right decision on August 21.

"Ben Chifley spoke to us about that light on the hill. In a different age, in a different
nation, in a different time, President Barack Obama inspired a nation by saying 'yes we
can'.

"Friends, I'm too humble to compare myself to either (leader) ... but I am asking ...

when you vote on Saturday ... to say as you cast that vote 'yes we will' ... move forward
with confidence and optimism."

In her speech, Ms Gillard drew together the strands of the narrative she has been forming
over the past four weeks on the economy, jobs and education.

"A job is essential for a family's future, a strong economy is essential for a nation's
future. I will build that strong economy," Ms Gillard said.

Her economic vision, she explained, was based on prosperity for the nation and the individual.

"I want each of us to prosper and all of us to prosper," she said.

Unlike the coalition, which had a policy-free campaign launch, Ms Gillard announced
a $392 million package, bringing together developments in e-health and broadband to give
patients across the nation better access to specialists and medical advice.

"This is the future of health care," she said.

Mr Abbott derided the policy as old hat.

"We already have various health call centres ... and we already have, under the existing
Medicare system, remote consultations," he told reporters.

"Much of what she talked about today in fact already exists."

There was scant mention of border protection - the issue both sides of politics believe
could be decisive for voters in crucial marginal seats in western Sydney and Queensland.

Ms Gillard only referred to it to mock Mr Abbott's recent revelation that naval commanders
would ring him while at sea so that he could personally decide whether to turn back asylum
seeker boats.

"What Mr Abbott wants that commander to do is to take their eyes off the safety of
their crew, take their eyes off the ocean, take their eyes off people smugglers, go inside
the cabin and give him a call," she said.

"Then presumably, from the safety of Kirribilli (House in Sydney) as he watches luxury
yachts go by, Mr Abbott is going to provide some advice to that commander about how to
stop the boats.

"Friends, this is a nonsense."

AAP so/sb/jl/was

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