Labor tries to numb poll pain with dental sweetener
Nick Wilson and Duncan Murray |
A long-in-the-tooth Labor government has pledged a major upgrade to its free dental clinics plan to numb the pain of bruising pre-election polling.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll announced the move on Sunday as he took aim at his main challenger for “ducking” debates.
Mr Carroll will appear at a town hall-style leadership forum with Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, state One Nation leader Warren Pickering and Greens leader Ellen Sandell.
Ms Wilson challenged Mr Carroll to attend the forum, to be hosted by News24 and the Herald Sun, after refusing to accept an offer for a three-way debate with the premier and Mr Pickering.
Ms Wilson continues to press for a one-on-one showdown with her Labor counterpart.
“If Ben Carroll’s too afraid to debate me, that’s up to him,” she said.
But Mr Carroll insisted he would attend “any debate” with Ms Wilson, adding the offer of a three-way forum, to be hosted by Nine, was still unanswered.
“Victorians are sick of the ducking and weaving by Jess Wilson,” he said.
Both parties continue to press their credentials on key issues less than a month out from the state election.
The premier was all smiles as he boarded Labor’s bright red bus, departing north from Melbourne to visit a dental clinic at Craigieburn, touting his government’s public health credentials.
Joined by Health Minister Ingrid Stitt, he announced a re-elected Labor government would open 20 free dental clinics across the state, up from the 10 previously announced.
Health services have dominated the first week of the incumbent party’s ground campaign, which has been overshadowed by dire polling for the 12-year-old government seeking a historic fourth straight term.
The dental clinics will be free to all when they open from July 2027, treating an estimated 200,000 Victorians every year.
Mr Carroll revived the $230 million pledge at a Labor volunteer event at Footscray, alongside his wife Fiona and local MP Katie Hall.
The marginal Labor seat includes Maribyrnong, one of 14 Melbourne suburbs set to receive a clinic alongside six regional towns.
“One of the greatest reforms of any Labor government was Medicare,” Mr Carroll told the crowd.
“The future under a state Labor government will be free public dental for every Victorian right across our state.”
The premier rolled up his sleeves to dish out sausages to doorknockers dressed in T-shirts reading: “Keep Katie”.
The latest polling ranks the coalition firm favourite to win government with 29.5 per cent of the primary vote ahead of Labor’s 22.5 per cent and One Nation’s 22 per cent.
Released on Friday, the Roy Morgan survey also showed a dip in popularity for the Greens, from 14 per cent to 12.5 per cent.
The Liberals tried to keep their campaign focused on law and order on Sunday as Ms Wilson fronted the media at a Bunnings store at Mentone, in Melbourne’s southeast.
She used the visit to pledge the coalition would expand and bring forward the introduction of Labor’s workplace protection laws.
The laws, announced by Mr Carroll in July, give courts the power to ban people from businesses when they abuse or threaten staff.
The coalition would also introduce interim protection orders for staff while awaiting court-backed enforcement.
Ms Wilson promised to enact the laws before year’s end.
Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell appeared alongside volunteers and her federal counterpart, David Shoebridge, as the minor party promoted internal polling that put its statewide primary vote at 15 per cent – a point ahead of One Nation.
Other polls have consistently put One Nation’s primary vote at more than 20 per cent.
AAP