Continued from Part 3: Why an Albanese Government should be elected.

(In Part 1 of these articles I provided a link to the ALP’s 2022 policy agenda, and I ask that you take time to read those items of policy (if you haven’t done so as yet), before reading the matters I raise here-on-in.)

Climate Change

As I stated earlier, it has been a dreadful political tactic by Morrison and Abbott to weaponise climate change as a political point scoring mechanism, rather than treating it for what is, the most pressing global issue which all of us living on this beautiful little blue planet must address to ensure not just the survival of certain flora or fauna, but also our own survival. The Morrison Government do not have a proper climate change plan, and even the carbon credit scheme is being called an alleged fraud.

The ALP has a plan which addresses climate change in an expeditious and responsible manner.

Powering Australia

An Albanese Government will:

• Upgrade the electricity grid to fix energy transmission and drive down power prices.
• Make electric vehicles cheaper with an electric car discount and Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy.
• Adopt the Business Council of Australia’s recommendation for facilities already covered by the Government’s Safeguard Mechanism that emissions be reduced gradually and predictably over time, to support international competitiveness and economic growth – consistent with industry’s own commitment to net zero by 2050.
• Protect the competitiveness of Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed industries by ensuring they will not face a greater constraint than their competitors.
• Allocate up to $3 billion from Labor’s National Reconstruction Fund to invest in green metals (steel, alumina and aluminium); clean energy component manufacturing; hydrogen electrolysers and fuel switching; agricultural methane reduction and waste reduction.
• Provide direct financial support for measures that improve energy efficiency within existing industries and develop new industries in Regional Australia through a new Powering the Regions Fund. Roll out 85 solar banks around Australia to ensure more households can benefit from rooftop solar.
• Install 400 community batteries across the country.
• Demonstrate Commonwealth leadership by reducing the Australian Public Service’s own emissions to net zero by 2030.
• Invest in 10,000 New Energy Apprentices and a New Energy Skills Program.
• Establish a real-world vehicle fuel testing program to inform consumer choice.
• Work with large businesses to provide greater transparency on their climate related risks and opportunities.
• Re-establish leadership by restoring the role of the Climate Change Authority, while keeping decision-making and accountability with Government and introducing new annual Parliamentary reporting by the Minister.

The ALP’s plan will see Australia re-join key trading partners in their ambition to 2030, like Canada (with its similar economic base) at 40-45%, South Korea at 40% and Japan at 46%. Peak groups including the BCA, Australian Industry Group, and National Farmers Federation have said that raising Australia’s 2030 emissions mitigation goals is “necessary to provide a clear and credible basis for action and investment [and] maintain our competitiveness amidst a growing global transition.” Powering Australia puts Government policy in line with Australia’s leading industry, business and agricultural groups.

The Environment

The ALP will commit to a suite of environmental policies that continues Labor’s legacy in the policy issue of the environment.

Federal ICAC

Morrison has really been caught on a lie of a broken promise regarding the implementation of a Federal ICAC. The ALP believes the time is long past for a National Anti-Corruption Commission to be established, and an Albanese Labor Government will give priority to introducing legislation to establish such a body.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission established by the ALP will operate with all the independence, resources and powers of a standing Royal Commission into serious and systemic corruption in the federal government. The ALP has been working with Australia’s preeminent legal and integrity experts to develop design principles that will ensure the Commission is the most effective anti-corruption watchdog in the country.

Under these design principles, the Commission will:

• have broad jurisdiction to investigate Commonwealth ministers, public servants, statutory office holders, government agencies, parliamentarians, and personal staff of politicians;
• carry out its functions independently of government, with discretion to commence inquiries into serious and systemic corruption on its own initiative or in response to referrals, including from whistleblowers and complaints from the public. To ensure the Commission’s independence, the Commissioner and any Deputy Commissioner would serve for a single fixed term and have security of tenure comparable to that of a federal judge;
• be overseen by a statutory bipartisan Joint Standing Committee of the Parliament, empowered to require the Commission to provide information about its work. To ensure bipartisan support for the Commission’s work, that Committee would be responsible for confirming the Commissioners nominated by the Government;
• have the power to investigate allegations of serious and systemic corruption that occurred before or after its establishment;
• have the power to hold public hearings where the Commission determines it is in the public interest to do so;
• be empowered to make findings of fact, including a finding of corrupt conduct, but not to make determinations of criminal liability. Findings that could constitute criminal conduct would be referred to the Australian Federal Police or the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions for further consideration; and
• operate with procedural fairness and its findings would be subject to judicial review.

Chris Bowen’s Q & A appearance resolutely stated the facts in relation to a Federal ICAC, namely one will only be implemented under a Labor federal government.

First Nations People

An Albanese Government will:

• Implement the Uluru Statement in full – Voice, Treaty and Truth.
• Work towards Closing the Gap.
• Abolish the punitive Community Development Program.
• Turn the tide on incarceration and deaths in custody through landmark justice reinvestment funding.
• Improve housing in remote Indigenous communities.
• Invest in First Nations management of land and waters.
• Strengthen First Nations economic and job opportunities.
• Get rid of the privatised Cashless Debit Card.

Aged Care

Older Australians helped build this country. They worked hard, paid their taxes and raised their families.

As I stated about the atrocious record of the Morrison Government regarding aged care, it is not only in crisis, it is also a national disgrace.

An Albanese Labor Government will take practical measures to ensure older Australians receive the aged care they deserve:

• Registered nurses on site 24/7: Under a Labor Government, every aged care facility will be required to have a registered, qualified nurse on site, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This will save thousands of stressful, expensive and ultimately unnecessary trips to hospital Emergency Departments, for issues a nurse could solve on the spot.
• More carers with more time to care: Labor will raise the standard of aged care across the board – by ensuring there are more carers, who have more time to care. We will mandate that every Australian living in aged care receives an average of 215 minutes of care per day, as recommended by the Royal Commission. That means more care for every resident, every day. Not just for essential medical treatment – but basic, important things like helping people take a shower, get dressed or eat a meal.
• A pay rise for aged care workers: Labor will back a real pay rise for aged care workers. Labor will support workers’ calls for better pay at the Fair Work Commission. And a Labor Government will fund the outcome of this case. Because if we want higher standards of care – we need to support higher wages for our carers.
• Better food for residents: Labor will ensure that there is better food for residents of aged care homes. A Labor Government will work with the sector to develop and implement mandatory nutrition standards for aged care homes to ensure every resident gets good food.
• Dollars going to care: Labor will make residential care providers report – in public and in detail – what they are spending money on. And we will give the Aged Care Safety Commissioner new powers to ensure there is accountability and integrity.

Labor has a plan to put security, dignity, quality and humanity back into aged care.

“Only an Albanese Labor Government will treat aged care residents with the respect they deserve.”

Other Policies

There are many other important policy issues the ALP wish to implement upon an Albanese Government being elected. These issues address women (protecting women and equality of pay are major issues for women which will be implemented by an ALP government), the NDIS, protecting the ABC and disaster readiness, to name a few. If you wish to examine all of the policies an Albanese Government will implement, please visit this website: Our plan for a better future for all Australians.

My ALP Candidate

I have previously written about my local ALP candidate for the seat of Ryan, Peter Cossar:

Peter is a good person, and he has been working hard to knock on as many doors as possible in Ryan, to understand the needs of the various community members which make up this l Federal Seat. The Liberal Party have for too long now treated Ryan like an old piece of discarded silver ware, deposited away in the darkest corners of the Liberals’ closet.

It’s time to turn Ryan Red. It’s time for Peter Cossar to be the new Honourable Member for Ryan.

Conclusion

The Coalition like to say a lot about the ALP, but they have too many skeltons in their closet. An Albanese Government will breathe a breath of fresh air into our democracy.

If a Coalition person makes a comment about Albanese personally to you, tell them these facts in response.

Have a nice day or evening, and remember, we are at the crossroads of history at this 2022 Federal Election, so please vote 1 for Labor.