A tearful Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has celebrated his victory in the 2025 federal election with his favourite campaign prop: a Medicare card.
Nearly two hours following the forecast of a Labor triumph by 9News political editor Charles Croucher, Albanese, speaking at the Canterbury-Hurlstone RSL club, appeared deeply moved.
“My fellow Australians, serving as your Prime Minister is the greatest honour of my life,” he said.
“It is with deep humility and immense responsibility that my first action tonight is to express my gratitude to the people of Australia for the opportunity to continue serving the greatest nation on earth.”
Albanese emphasized that Australians can unite after a contentious campaign and outlined several pledges made by the Labor party during the election period.
Including, of course, an $8.5 billion Medicare boost to increase bulk billing rates.
“We will be a government that helps every Australian who relies on Medicare,” Albanese told the cheering crowd, then whipped out what appeared to be his own Medicare card.
Careful to cover the details on the card with his fingers, the prime minister continued.
“Because this card is not Labor red or Liberal blue, it is green and gold,” he said.
“It is a declaration of our national values, in our national colours.
“Medicare belongs to all Australians and together we will make it stronger for all Australians.”
Albanese kicked off his campaign with a Medicare card in hand as he called the election on March 28.
Over the next five weeks, it became his favourite campaign prop, appearing everywhere from press conferences to the National Press Club in Canberra.
The prime minister whipped a Medicare card out during a visit to Maitland Hospital in Metford, NSW on April 3, then again 10 days later at the Australian Labor Party federal election campaign launch at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
It was back on April 21, at a press conference during a visit to the Batemans Bay Urgent Care Clinic in NSW and again on April 27, during a Labor Party rally at Parramatta Town Hall.
The card was out again on April 30, when the Albanese appeared at the National Press Club in Canberra to tout his $8.5 billion promise to boost bulk-billing.
He even had a Medicare card in hand on the final day of the campaign yesterday, when he visited the Morayfield Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Queensland.
The humble Medicare card has been a frequent prop on the election campaign and clearly it had an impact.
It is the clear frontrunner ahead of Dutton’s petrol hose, Adam Bandt’s toothbrush and Bob Katter’s ‘patriot’ beer.
