The Chaser Report - Extra - How did Medicare work after this?

Episode Date: December 16, 2020

Charles takes the gang through another round of, “What Product is That?,” and Rebecca De Unamuno is back with all the news you can't trust! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chaser Report, Global World International News Headlines Update with Rebecca Dayunamuno. The Prime Minister has accused China of crossing the line after China targeted coal in its latest round of trade embargoes. A furious Scott Morrison took time out from his latest DIY project to say targeting Australia's precious coal is the worst thing that China has ever done. He said violating human rights was one thing, but not buying Australian coal was unforgivable. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister hit out at the assertions that Australia is not doing enough to combat the climate crisis, saying Australians are fighting hard against climate change, despite how hard he tries to stop them. Scott Morrison says there is a real chance that regrettably Australia will hit net zero emissions by 2050. He said he was deeply ashamed he was not able to protect his donors from the impact of action on climate change.

Santa Claus has admitted he is unsure whether to put the Prime Minister on the naughty list or the nice list this Christmas. Mr Claus said Mr Morrison met all the criteria for being on the naughty list, but if they put him on the naughty list, he would receive a lump of coal, which is actually at the top of his wish list. Mr. Claus said he didn't know what to do, but was considering counselling Christmas altogether, so that 2020 would end one week early. That's the latest chaser news. Check out chaser.com.com for more.

Now it's time for Zoe, Charles and Dom. Thanks, Beck, and now it's time for another quiz of What product is that? And I'm Charles Firth and with me today are Dom Knight and Zoe Norton Lodge. Welcome. Hello. Now, are you bracing yourselves for a whole lot of questions about television?

and advertisements that you will never, ever be able to guess? I mean, we did do this in the weekly episode last Friday. And I guess you had the left type of material. Is that what this is? No, this one is themed on sort of social issues and political organization type ads, right? So as I was trawling through YouTube to find old ads, I came across the motherload of hilarious ads, mainly from the 1980s that I'd like to share with you.

And the first one is, what is this advertising? We're on our way. We're on the right track. Australians have always been good at fighting bad. With a little more strength and patience, we'll see Australia right. Nothing worth having ever happens overnight. Together.

Let's stick together Australians together Let's see it through What do you reckon? I feel like that was John Howard's erotic fantasy Oh God All the 80s songs were like that With all those mojo jingles things, weren't they?

Was it like an encouragement thing About building the monorail? No, it was for a political party It was part of a federal election campaign And which political party was it for? Oh, I mean, I'm thinking the nationals. It's just so, well, it probably wasn't dagging in the 80s. Probably Labor then.

Correct. Oh, God. Yes, it was Labor. Do you know which election for extra points? I'm thinking Hawke's second term, so it's not 86. Well, Hawke's second term was actually 84, but Hawke's third election was 1987, and that was correct. What's the target demo for this podcast again? Charles.

People who know the theme song from Witch of Hawke's Elections. I don't understand how you wouldn't know that. Yeah, it was too easy. Yeah. I know. I thought this was good. I thought, we'll mix it up and do something easy. I was five.

Were you five? Yeah. No, that is, okay. They had long ads in those days. This ad goes for one minute, right? But I want to play you from it just as a little treat because you're clearly so enjoying it. I'm just going to...

This ad features the best rhyme ever in any song. Ooh. We got to keep all holding tight to that great Australian dream. Nobody ever got anywhere changing horses and midstream. Together. Let's stick together. Australians together. Let's see it through.

That's almost, yeah, that's almost as good as the cystic fibrosis rhyme. What's that one? It's a song. They rhyme cystic fibrosis with 65 roses. Oh, lovely. That kind of wins. Yeah, but wasn't that horses in midstream line, like literally in like some sort of Bob Roberts or some sort of parody of election ads? Yeah, I think you're probably right, yeah.

But it is true. Like they were, you know, they needed to convince you that you could still. Do you stay the course? Australian man from Sunni River, too, with the horses and the stream and all that. There you go. No irony in the Ais, was there? Okay, well, talking of no irony,

I've now got to treat. This is from 1984, this ad, I think. It might be actually in 1985. But it starts with a butler. This is another political head. It starts with a butler with white gloves. Liberals. Going to an ornate daughter in a mansion

and accepting the male with a yellow envelope on the table. top. Now listen to the audio, then I'm going to ask you a question. Any day now you will receive this envelope. It's vitally important that you read what is inside, because inside is your Medicare enrollment form and a brochure explaining how Medicare will provide every permanent resident with basic health insurance. It's vital that you fill in the enrollment form and return it immediately, no matter who you are. Okay. So, and then the butler comes up to somebody famous and

And that's when they say, no matter who you are. So it's saying everyone has to do this, no matter how famous and wonderful and amazing you are. Who did they put in that ad to advertise? This is the beginning of Medicare. Amazing moment in Australian history. Who was the famous person? Well, obviously, 80s.

Paul Hogan. Yeah, I was going to guess Paul Hogan. You think Paul Hogan? Let's go to the board and find out. Then every Australian from newborn Bade to Prime Minister can share in the cheapest, simplest and fairest health insurance scheme

Australia's ever had Medicare. Hawkey put himself in the head, in the ad, with a butler. Was he so popular that the best way to sell

a new product was to actually put a politician in an ad? I can't believe it. Isn't that amazing? Can you imagine Scomo putting himself in an ad? It was,

is mind blowing that Medicare worked after that campaign. But also the idea that I know, We'll get all the ordinary people to join up by showing a butler with a man. The last Prime Minister that any, that Australians actually liked was Hockey. There you go.

By the way, speaking of Hockey, I just looked up changing horses in midstream. Apparently Abe Lincoln invented it and used it in the presidential campaign of 1864. So Labor, something 120 years old when Labor got to it. Okay, this last one's not political, but it is a sort of social cause. And this one's from 1986 Features very, very daggy people dressed in skivis talking to camera Listen to the clip and answer the question

What is this advertising? Give it a go. Give it a go. It'll put your problems in perspective. It did for me. Come on, give it a go. What do you reckon? What's it?

They're all very daggy. They want you to give it a go. Is it like exercise? Is it like life being it? Not really. Although you probably get a lot of sexercise. Oh, yeah. Oh, what?

Is it like sex? Is it like a prostate exam or something? No, no, it's... I gave it a go. God gave me inner peace and brought happiness to my whole family. Come on, give it a go. God will make all the difference in your life. I invite you and your family to come along to Christian Outreach Center this Sunday.

Oh, I actually did give that a go at the 80s anyway. Yeah, and the funny thing is that they did actually end up getting shut down in a sex scandal many years later. So there you go. Everyone got a go in that church. Wow. Hawkey got it go, didn't he? He got a lot of guys. Certainly got a lot of guys.

Okay, well, that's it. Remember to check out us out on social media. and chaser.com.com.com. And you can buy merchandise. If you're thinking, oh, I want some Christmas presents that will be delivered after Christmas, rush to chaser shop.com. And you can pick up some real bargains on stuff

that we won't be able to deliver in time. Well, that marketing message really made those ads sound good.