Health

Labor would reverse the government’s cuts to bulk-billing incentives for pathology and imaging by restoring an incentive to pathologists and radiologists to bulk bill.



The Parliamentary Budget Office costed it as $884.2m over the forward estimates to 2019-20 and $2.9bn over the decade to 2026-27.



Tax break for small businesses taking on new workers

Small businesses with a turnover up to $2m would be able to claim a “bonus” tax deduction of $20,000 for up to five new employees, who have to be either under 25, over 55 or a parent or carer returning to work after at least six months out of the paid workforce.



The new recruits would have to be “a net addition to the company’s average full-time equivalent staffing level for the previous year”.



Labor says the new subsidies would cost $255m over the next four years, which could be found from “underspends” in the government’s existing wage subsidy schemes.



Suicide prevention

Labor would provide $72m over three years for 12 regional suicide pilot projects, with at least three of the pilots in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The 12 sites would be selected in consultation with experts and target locations with higher than average numbers of suicide deaths (greater than 12 deaths per 100,000) and where there is local capacity and commitment to reduce levels of suicide and self-harm.

Labor would provide $9m to a National Suicide Prevention Fund.

The total cost of the strategies would be $83.7m over four years.

Transport

In New South Wales, $400m to build a rail link from north-west to south-west Sydney, which would include the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek. The funding would allow planning and construction to run parallel with the development of the airport. Labor says it would create more than 1,000 jobs in planning and construction.



In Western Australia, Labor promised to build the Perth Metronet and, in South Australia, ADELINK and Gawler light rail.

In Victoria, Labor committed to $500m to back the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project and a Park and Ride Access Fund, including five new underground stations and 65 new high-capacity trains. Another $120m in a Park and Ride Access Fund to boost car parking capacity at high-use train stations.

In Queensland, $800m in the Brisbane cross river rail project, which would ease congestion, improve transport connections and create local jobs for a growing Brisbane population.