*** This article has been updated with additional election analysis from the health sector ***
Introduction by Croakey: In an election marked by Trumpian-style misinformation and disinformation and unhelpful soundbites, it’s easy to lose sight of the key policy issues at stake.
Croakey has compiled a summary of key health-related election scorecards below, including from ANTAR, SNAICC, Amnesty International, the Public Health Association of Australia, the Climate and Health Alliance, Doctors for the Environment Australia, Doctors’ Reform Society, the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) and the National Rural Health Alliance.
Also see a statement by Lowitja Institute, and the Australian Medical Association election scorecard.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and rights
The election of a Liberal National Party Government would result in many harmful outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, suggests an election scorecard compiled by ANTAR.
The scorecard is based upon responses from the three major parties to a questionnaire sent by ANTAR in March seeking their commitments in four areas:
- Closing the Gap
- Justice and over-incarceration
- Cultural heritage and Country
- Voice, Treaty & Truth.
ANTAR warned that LNP ‘justice’ policies directly contribute to and exacerbate the crisis-level over-policing and mass-incarceration of First Nations peoples.
“Launching a Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse in First Nations communities is a racially discriminatory action that is contrary to community wishes and evidence-based directives from First Nations peak bodies,” says the scorecard.
“It will contribute to negative stereotyping and racism.”
Under Closing the Gap considerations, the scorecard said some proposed LNP policies, such as auditing First Nations expenditure, “actively contribute to harmful stereotypes, deficit framing and racism toward First Nations communities”.
On cultural heritage and Country, ANTAR welcomed the LNP’s commitment to increased investment in First Nations ranger programs but said the pledge to reform cultural heritage legislation is “lacking important detail”.
“Both policies are dwarfed by plans to establish nuclear power facilities despite significant First Nations opposition,” the scorecard said. “This shows a clear preference for protecting and expanding the economic interests of extractive industry and developers over the priorities and concerns of First Nations communities, and complete disregard for the principle of free, prior and informed consent as well as self-determination.”
The scorecard suggest that Labor needs to do better in a number of areas. On Closing the Gap policy priorities, Labor had made “a good start to transfer meaningful decision-making power to ACCOs and establish policy and other partnerships with peak bodies”.
“However, Labor’s focus on economic empowerment ultimately avoids commitments to more transformative structural change as called for in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. More needs to be done to move towards genuine shared power and decision-making.”
On justice issues, the scorecard noted Labor’s funding for justice reinvestment, trauma-informed child supports and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioner role, but said other policies rely on carceral solutions (including policing) that are proven to harm First Nations people. “The ALP also continues to defer to the states and territories on raising the age.”
The scorecard generally rated the Greens positively, including as the “only major party to commit to raising the age”, but noted there was “no clear plan for how the Greens would hold governments accountable or undertake a handover to ACCOs and reform across agencies”.
On the Uluru Statement and Voice, Treaty, Truth, Labor had shown “a lack of courageous leadership and a disregard for the priorities of First Nations communities in the aftermath of the Voice referendum”, the scorecard said.
“Harmful and performative policy backtracking has led to mistrust, with economic development and closing the gap a distraction from their lack of ongoing commitment to Voice, Treaty and Truth. It is not enough to support processes in the states and territories ‘in principle’ – federal directive and legislative action is required.”
Meanwhile, the LNP in this area had “explicitly harmful policy that disregards the many years of First Nations advocacy for Voice, Treaty, and Truth and actively disempowers First Nations political representation, participation and self-determination.
“LNP policy perpetuates harmful stereotypes of First Nations expenditure as ‘unreliable’ or ‘failed’, directly feeding into racist narratives, and over-relies on ‘frontline solutions’ without any policy detail.
The Greens had made promising commitments to treaty and truth-telling, and support for localised truth-telling as prioritised by many First Nations communities.
The Greens also showed respect for the principle of ‘nothing about us without us’, with adequate consultation proposed. The proposed establishment of a Sea Country Commission as an independent voice was welcome, as was the establishment of a national truth and justice commission that must be guided by First Nations communities with adequate time for community participation, investment and co-design.
• In its election statement, Lowitja Institute outlines six key priorities to improve health outcomes, advocating for continued investment in and support for the expertise, knowledges, and solutions held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to address systemic barriers and challenges.
The statement calls for stronger commitment to long-term funding for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), more investment in evidence-based solutions, which “starts with Indigenous-led research, by community, for community”.
Early childhood education matters
“The 2025 election arrives at a crucial moment, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to be separated from their families, communities, and cultures and placed into child protection and juvenile justice systems at shockingly disproportionate rates, with minimal access to early intervention and diversion programs,” Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC, said in a statement.
“In the lead-up to the election, we’re encouraging Australians to look for bold, transformative policies from our major parties – policies that can change the trajectory for our children.”
More information on SNAICC’s election priorities can be found in this media release.
Statement by SNAICC: Vote like Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children depend on It – because they do
Human rights
Amnesty International Australia asked the three major parties to respond to its Human Rights Agenda — a set of policy recommendations across four key campaign areas including a Human Rights Act, Indigenous rights, refugee rights and international issues, including Australia’s response to genocide in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and increasing repression in China, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.
Amnesty received responses from Labor and the Greens. The Coalition (Liberal and Nationals) did not respond.
Broaden health focus
“This election campaign has set health up as a battleground, with Labor making at least nine health announcements in the last six months, worth billions of dollars, that show their commitment to investing in health treatment and hospitals. The Liberal National Coalition have been quick to match these, while making their own commitments to youth mental health,” said Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia.
“But what neither party seems to be talking about is how we are going to reduce the pressure on the health system and keep more Australians out of our already strained hospitals and doctors’ waiting rooms.”
Climate and health
Parties were scored on 17 different policy questions around climate change and health, based on Climate and Health Alliance’s Healthy, Regenerative and Just framework, as well as key policy priorities from CAHA and its members.
Climate crisis
Doctors for the Environment Australia calls on all candidates in the upcoming federal election to protect the health of Australians from worsening climate change. “The evidence is clear and indisputable. Pollution from burning fossil fuels is trapping heat making our world hotter and more unstable. This is hurting the people and places we love and is destroying our way of life.”
Climate and energy
“The federal election is around the corner, and it’s clear the next term of the Australian Parliament will be critical for climate action. Our next government must build on the progress made over the last three years, and go further and faster to cut climate pollution and protect Australian communities from the ravages of escalating climate disasters.”
The Climate Council has summarised the climate and energy policies of the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal National Party, and the Australian Greens.
Health reform needed
“There is much talk of health policy coming into this election and all parties have committed to major spending across many areas,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, Vice-President of Doctors Reform Society.
“However, the delivery of better health outcomes for all Australians is not simply sorted by feeding money into an archaic 40-year-old funding model. Reform is needed and has been largely ignored by the major parties.”
Read more from Dr Tim Woodruff: The election and the social determinants of health
Nurses and midwives
Annie Butler, Federal Secretary of Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation said it was important for ANMF Members to know which of the major parties will be standing-up for nurses, midwives and care-workers in the next term of government.
“During this term of Government, we’ve achieved a long-list of gains for our nursing, midwifery and care-worker workforce and the Australian health system. But with many challenges in health and aged care which still need to be addressed, we believe it’s essential that our major political parties commit to maintaining and building on these achievements for the benefit of the community,” Butler said.
** Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor and Adam Bandt and the Greens have pledged their commitment or partial commitment for all, or the majority, of the ANMF’s priorities, ANMF said in a statement. So far, the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberals, Peter Dutton, and the Leader of the Nationals, David Littleproud have failed to respond to the ANMF.
Refugee rights
In the lead-up to this election, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre asked refugees and people seeking asylum what mattered most to them. Their answers shaped ASRC’s key election priorities – from permanent visas and community support to ending offshore detention.
Candidates were then asked what their commitments are to these key policies. See here for more detail.
Trade justice
The Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET)
More details here.
Rural health
On LinkedIn, the National Rural Health Alliance said, “In the lead up to Saturday’s Federal Election, the National Rural Health Alliance has analysed the commitments announced by all parties and has created this scorecard. It reinforces our call to all parties to focus more on the health of the 7 million Australians who live and work in rural and remote communities”.
No further information provided on how the analysis was supported. Read the Alliance’s election priorities here.
See Croakey’s archive of articles on the 2025 Federal election
