Viewer Poll: Is Medicaregate an issue?

On Saturday night/Sunday morning, when it became clear that the result of the election would not be settled for a few days, both Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten gave speeches which attempted to convey the impression that they had won.  One of the most extraordinary moments in any “victory” speech came from Malcolm Turnbull, who referred to the fact that thousands of constituents in Queensland had reportedly received a text message, claiming to be from Medicare, claiming that a Liberal government would privatise Medicare.

Turnbull went so far as to suggest that the police would investigate, and indeed the Liberal Party has made an official complaint over the matter.  Incredibly, Labor’s Queensland branch have admitted sending the text, but claim “Medicare” was the subject of the text, which may have been confused as the origin.  And the Australia Council of Trade Unions had earlier sent out replica Medicare cards, with the same theme in mind.

There are several ways we could view these events.  On the one hand, regardless of whether the action taken by the Labor Party Queensland branch and the ACTU are proven to have been illegal, it may well have a decisive impact in electorates where the result is yet to be decided.

On the other hand, we’re not Remain cry-babies.  The losers in Great Britain have been demanding a revote all week, but that is not us.  It is up to individuals to inform themselves of the policies of the parties they wish to vote for.  If they are swung by misinformation, they don’t have anyone to blame, in the Google Age, but themselves.

Another line of thought suggests that Medicaregate may have provided a useful red herring, to Malcolm Turnbull, the mainstream media, and the left, so they can avoid the competing narrative explaining the result of this election: that conservative voters had already made up their minds about Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership of the Liberal Party, were leaving it in droves, and planning to vote for minor parties on the right.

So we would like to ask XYZ readers the followng question:

With credit to Keating and Grumpy Motorist.