Andrew Barr says 'no doubt' Labor would pick deputy from left faction

The party's tradition is to have a leader from one faction – the right, in Mr Barr's case – and a deputy from the other.

There are only two left faction members in the caucus now: Housing Minister Yvette Berry and Work Safety Minister Mick Gentleman.

Ms Berry is considered the standout choice for deputy.

Mr Barr last week announced Labor's health minister would be Meegan Fitzharris, now the Assistant Health Minister and his former chief of staff, should it win October's poll.

But he was less forthcoming in nominating a preference for deputy, saying only: "The caucus needs to decide that, and yes we'll have some excellent candidates I'm sure."

Mr Barr answered the question in the presence of Ms Berry.

Asked whether he expected a deputy to come from the left, he responded: "It's certainly the way that Labor caucus has worked.

"We want to ensure the leadership team and the ministry reflect different elements of the party, and I have no doubt that that tradition will continue."

Simon Corbell has been the deputy but is retiring and not publicly campaigning in the October election, leaving the position up for grabs.

Mr Barr is the first right faction leader in the ACT party's history.

The only exception to the factional rule in recent memory was the pairing of Katy Gallagher as deputy, from the left, and Jon Stanhope as chief, who was unaligned.

The focus of Labor's campaign is expected to shift away from health, and move to education over the next week.

Labor on Thursday promised $15 million to upgrade Calvary Hospital's emergency department, with new beds for children, more adult short-stay beds so patients can be monitored for 24 hours, and new waiting areas.

Mr Barr and Ms Fitzharris visited Calvary to make Labor's final health promise of the campaign, with Labor badging its series of promises as a "10-year health plan".

Topping the list is a new $500 million building at the Canberra Hospital focused on operating theatres and day surgery, and linking to a new emergency department. The hospital, though, is in the next budget cycle, with building not set to begin until after the 2016 election.

More immediately, Labor says it will spend $70 million expanding the women and children's hospital and building a child and adolescent mental health unit on the same campus, with more money also for extra staff.

Labor has promised 68 new nurses, a nursing masters course to train 10 public health nurses a year, a preventative health coordinator, free meningococcal B vaccines for babies, new nurse-led walk-in health centres for Weston Creek and Gungahlin, and $1 million in grants to build three bulk-billing GP centres in Tuggeranong and Molonglo, and a new system to opt in for organ donation, $12 million for a new health clinic at Winnunga Nimmityjah, and a grant for a spinal injuries gym.

Ms Fitzharris said on Thursday the improvements to Calvary's emergency department would modernise surgery and diagnostic equipment. Labor also would commission a scoping study for northside hospital facilities.