Women with breast cancer have secured commitments from both the major parties for additional funding for MRI scans – $32.6m from the Morrison government coming in next week’s budget, and $47m from Labor if it wins in May.

The Coalition will use next Tuesday’s budget to create two new Medicare items for MRI of the breast, to be available from 1 November 2019, scans that will enable more accurate diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

If Bill Shorten wins the coming election, Labor is promising to “work with experts” to finalise the design of the new Medicare items that will allow subsidies for scans.

Shorten said Medicare already subsidises similar MRI scans for men with prostate cancer – but not for women with breast cancer, except in extremely limited circumstances.

“As a result, thousands of women are being charged up to $1,500 in out-of-pocket costs for the scans used to diagnose their cancer, decide on treatment and ensure cancer does not return,” the Labor leader said.

The government says creating the Medicare items will benefit 14,000 patients a year.

The Coalition, as part of a significant focus on infrastructure, will also promise an additional $2.2bn in road safety funding. In a statement, Scott Morrison said keeping Australians safe “is my government’s number one priority”.

The safety package is expected to include $1.1bn in funding for local governments under the Roads to Recovery program, and an extra $550m for the black spot program, which focuses on high-risk locations.

The budget is also expected to include $571.1m to improve the safety and efficiency of heavy vehicle operations through the bridges renewal program, and other safety and productivity programs.

With the Coalition looking for a political boost from the economic statement before heading to the polls, Morrison is also pointing to tax cuts directed at low and middle income earners. There is persistent speculation the government may also try to sweeten an election budget with one-off cash payments.

“Every opportunity I get I want Australians to be able to keep more of what they earn,” the prime minister said on the hustings in Perth. “Our budget will be a budget of aspiration, a budget for people who are going to continue to work hard and I want them to be able to keep more of their hard-earned money.”