Anthony Albanese’s credibility on health policy is in tatters. He has broken a key healthcare promise made to Australian parents and newborns on the National Newborn Screen Program.
The National Newborn Screen Program helps identify babies at risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from rare conditions. It enables early intervention and care for at-risk babies.
During the 2022 Federal Election in Midland in Perth Anthony Albanese held up Leo, a baby who suffers from Pompe disease and promised “Labor will end the newborn health screening lottery” by increasing the number of conditions on the National Newborn Screen Program to 80.
Anthony Albanese’s commitment on this issue was clear:
“Parents can be confident that no matter which hospital their child is born in, their baby will be fully screened for rare conditions… Labor will invest $38.4 million to deliver a world’s best practice screening program for all of Australia, increasing the number of conditions screened to 80.”
Labor has only added an additional 5 out of the 55 conditions promised. This brings the total number of target conditions screened to just 32 out of the 80 promised.
Despite promising to Leo’s parents he would screen Pompe disease, it remains unavailable for screening through the Program.
This means over 600,000 newborn Australian babies have missed out on being screened by the 80 conditions as promised by Anthony Albanese.
Incredibly Anthony Albanese visited the same hospital to start the 2025 Federal Election and held up baby Amber promising that:
“Becoming a parent is life changing - and you and your baby should get the best care every step of the way. Investing in our health system means you'll get that care.”
What he did not tell Amber’s parents is that he has failed to deliver the best practice health screening he promised at the same hospital at the last election.
Shadow Minister for Health, Senator Anne Ruston said that it is disgraceful the Prime Minister thought it was appropriate to have a photo-op with a newborn baby during the election campaign after breaking his promise on newborn screening.
“The Prime Minister held up a baby with Pompe disease in front of the cameras and has since failed to ensure this devastating disease is being screened through the Program,” Senator Ruston said.
“It has now been almost three years and the Albanese Government has failed to even make it halfway to delivering on this emotive promise to Australian parents across the country.
“The Prime Minister has been holding up his Medicare card a lot this campaign, but the reality is his record on health is one of abject failure - he has failed Australian parents and he has failed our babies.
ENDS
@Anne_Ruston
/AnneRuston