Albanese

On the other side, Albanese - whipping out his Medicare card almost daily - has sought to remind voters that Labor created the beloved system, while pointing out the Coalition's previously mixed support of the universal scheme and the spending cuts Dutton proposed as Health Minister a decade ago.

"At this election, this little card here, your Medicare card, is what is at stake," Albanese has said.

Albanese said Australia would prioritise minerals that are key to its security, and that of its partners, including rare earths.

Albanese's proposed reserve includes rare earths as well as other critical minerals of which Australia is a top producer - like lithium and cobalt.

Albanese's proposal says that minerals in the reserve will be available to both "domestic industry and international partners", in a likely reference to allies such as the US and EU.