section_path: Campaign
section_name: Campaign
paragraph_text: Campaign
  
  In early January 2025, both Albanese and Dutton made public appearances which were interpreted by the media as "unofficial" campaign launches. Albanese visited electorates in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Prominent campaign issues were housing, cost of living, healthcare, nuclear and renewable energies, immigration, the public sector, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and defence. Dutton gave a speech in Melbourne where he launched the Liberal party slogan for the campaign, "Let's get Australia back on track", and focused on the topics of nuclear power, housing, and immigration. He ran what was considered by numerous commentators to be a poor campaign.
  
  On 23 February, Albanese announced that, if re-elected, Labor would invest an additional $8.5 billion into Medicare to improve bulk-billing rates, and reduce the maximum price that consumers pay for many PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) medications. On 25 March, treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the budget speech. A range of measures were announced, including a modest income tax cut to apply to all Australian taxpayers. The Coalition opposed the tax cuts, instead offering a policy to cut the fuel excise by 25 cents per litre. Dutton pledged not to 'lie his way to the Lodge '. Following the budget speech, the Greens announced a policy that aims to include environmental measures in the budget using 1% of total funds. The Coalition also promised to defund the Environmental Defenders Office, stating it had become a 'political football'.