THE Labor Party has turned up the heat on Health Minister Sussan Ley in her own electorate with NSW Senator Sam Dastyari questioning her ability to perform the role.
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Senator Dastyari joined Labor candidate Christian Kunde, a trainee doctor, in Albury on Tuesday to zero in on the Coalition's cut to rural breast cancer services.
The senator also highlighted Ms Ley's comment the previous day about being stymied by red tape in a desire to have the government's freeze on Medicare rebates lifted.
"In what can only be described as a brain fart yesterday, we heard the minister say she was going to fight the minister or argue with the minister," Senator Dastyari said.
"Sussan Ley is the Minister for Health and it is her responsibility to get these outcomes.
"If she is saying she is ineffective and unable to deliver the services this area needs then why on earth is she running for parliament again?"
Mr Kunde said Labor had committed $7 million to the Breast Cancer Network Australia for its ongoing services.
"It is fantastic we've great doctors and nurses here in Albury-Wodonga and the rest of Farrer, but it is essential they have those psycho social services as well," Mr Kunde said.
"The Coalition has made no commitment beyond in 2017, but we are here to make a $7 million commitment going forward.
"We are committed to people and we are committed to health and to make sure people have the same access to health regardless of where they live based on their Medicare card, not their credit card."
Ms Ley rejected Mr Kunde's comments.
"I have been working closely with Breast Cancer Network Australia and would like to assure Mr Kunde that these invaluable services will continue to be fully funded under a Turnbull government," she said.
"We have committed to further subsidisation of the detection of breast cancers, further subsidisation of prosthetics - including implants following mastectomies, and have allocated an extra $29.9 million to the creation of a national cancer screening register.
"Despite Labor’s scare campaign, patients will not see any change to their Medicare rebate for diagnostic imaging services under the Coalition."
Senator Dastyari and candidate Tara Moriarty were travelling on the "Bill Bus" which originally planned to travel from Cairns to Canberra, but subsequent fundraising meant it would continue onto Melbourne.
The bus, which was parked at Lake Hume overnight, didn't stop in Indi.
