According to the Australian Financial Review, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is downplaying expectations that the government will open a bold new agenda, despite the government's absolute majority in parliament.
He said that the government must first fulfill the promises it has made so as not to harm the goodwill of voters. In his first important speech since the Labour Party’s election victory last month, the Prime Minister will speak at the National News Club on Tuesday, saying that the government’s current focus is on implementing an agenda, whether it is the transition to clean energy, housing issues, strengthening the health insurance system Medicare, or helping people through the cost of living crisis.
In view of the trust deficit problem in other democracies such as the United States, Albanese warned that the government must first fulfill its current priorities before it can embark on a bolder plan. According to the speech, he will say: “Our government’s vision and ambition for Australia’s future never depend on the number of seats we have in parliament, but the foundation can be laid for the future vision only after building confidence that meets urgent needs.”
“How to do this is also important—make sure today’s actions are foreseeable and create conditions for further reforms tomorrow.”
(Photo source: Australian Financial Review)
Labor won 94 seats in the House of Representatives in the May 3 general election. The Coalition has won only 43 seats, making it nearly impossible for them to win the next election, which means that Labor may be in power for at least six years. Additionally, Labour now has 29 seats in the Senate and together with the Greens control the Upper House, which has left no government with such a favorable Senate situation since Howard won control of both houses in 2004.
The combination of these factors has prompted economists and some business people to call on the government to take risks in major economic reforms.
Albanese's only clear reform goal is to launch a universal child care system in the next election.
He will say at the National News Club that the political instability that affects democratic countries around the world is partly due to the government's failure to the people.
He will say: "We are living in an era of significant global uncertainty that is not limited to economic instability."
"The more corrosive view is that politics, government and democratic institutions, including the free media, cannot meet current needs."
"Some people choose to ignore this sentiment, others try to exploit it, and our responsibility is to prove that this view is wrong."
"We must recognize that this frustration comes in part from the real experiences of people dealing with governments—whether it is the failure of service delivery or the difficulties encountered in a particular system."
" data-track="37">Albanese will open the door to the new agenda, he said: "We can do this while building the future."
Treasury Secretary Jim Chalmers has listed improving stagnant productivity as the government's top challenge, but he said it will take more than one term to resolve. The Prime Minister will also mention the productivity challenge on Tuesday, which will be his 12th speech at the National News Club since becoming Labor leader in 2019.
