by ERIC ABETZ – AS LABOR parliamentarians gathered in Canberra last week to brainstorm the cost of living crisis, most constituents were bemused as to why it has taken so long.
As publicity stunts and PR operations go, having a special caucus or Party room meeting to address an issue will guarantee headlines, and news coverage. It is front-page-worthy news and will lead the electronic bulletins.
- With 13 mortgage rate rises in just two years people are genuinely hurting.
- Increased migration has kept wages lower and reduced housing availability.
- Cancelling stage three tax cuts will prove to be electoral suicide – while not easing the cost of living crisis.
With the special caucus meeting called by the Prime Minister comes the focus on how did Australia end up in this cost of living crisis and what can be done about it.
Having called a special meeting, the government now cannot deny the crisis. Indeed it is a confirmation of it.
EXPECTATIONS
So it must tread carefully and purposefully. The Australian people will demand decisive action because the expectations have been heightened.
Labor now, rightly or wrongly, owns the problem.
The crisis did not happen overnight. It has gathered momentum for a considerable time as electricity prices, petrol prices, the cost of groceries and interest rates along with rents have all headed north in an unrelenting manner while wages have not kept up.
There are some issues that a government with all the best will in the world cannot control. But having owned the totality of the problem they will be seen as responsible.
Energy prices are clearly cutting into the family budget and the Opposition led by Peter Dutton is powerfully reminding the Australian people of the Prime Minister’s promise to reduce household electricity bills, to the tune of $250.
This has not occurred and indeed the exact opposite is being experienced.
Wait for Mr. Albanese’s election promises to be quoted back at him from now until the next election.
With Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change & Energy, continuing to promote renewable energy as cheaper and reliable when the lived experience of every Australian is the exact opposite is not assisting.
BLIND
Australians are not blind to the fact that as we are selling our coal overseas in record amounts, it is being bought by countries for the simple reason that it provides them with the cheapest and most reliable source of energy.
Back at home, Australians are being denied that same benefit by their own government’s deliberate policy.
The price of petrol at the bowser, while eye-watering, is subject to market forces, and being of a green hue, the government will not countenance a reduction on the fuel excise at the bowser to relieve the hip pocket.
Interest rates are determined by the independent Reserve Bank (RBA) which has overseen an increase that is leading to mortgage stress for many homeowners.
With 13 rate rises in just two years, there is now believed to be over one million Australians struggling with their mortgage payments. People are genuinely hurting.
As the economy stalls, the likelihood of wages increasing will be less likely, and most importantly, less affordable. Albeit with the slowdown will come reductions in interest rates courtesy of the RBA.
MIGRANTS
Labor will be eagerly anticipating their arrival in time for the next election.
The increased intake of migrants while of clear assistance in areas of worker shortages, places more people in the workforce keeping wages lower. The increased intake is also placing extra pressure on housing demand driving up rentals.
With this conundrum before them the Labor caucus, very conscious it did not end 2023 well at all, need more than just a talk fest.
Bold initiatives are required and the tough questions answered.
Are substantial wage increases affordable and if so how will that play into inflation?
How do you reduce the demand for housing and thus reduce rental costs if high numbers of immigrants continue to be welcomed?
The reversal of stage three tax cuts comes from the Left wing of the Labor caucus. But they were promised by the Prime Minister in very unambiguous language.
SUICIDE
Repudiating such a solemn promise will prove to be electoral suicide, apart from not actually easing the cost of living crisis in a structural sense.
Prime Minister Albanese will painfully recall the taxation promises broken by his predecessors Julia Gillard and Paul Keating and the consequences, not to mention President George Bush Sr of “read my lips” fame.
Having fully embraced the issue through the calling of a special meeting the Prime Minister will need some very tangible “announceables” with an immediate impact if electoral oblivion is to be avoided.
The Australian people will await the outcome and judge accordingly.PC
The Global Warming narrative is the UN’s baby. We are having it foisted on us regardless of whether we want it or not. There is no debate, according to the UN the science is settled. Nobody is allowed to discuss or debate the issue. Any discussion that doesn’t agree with GW is classified as disinformation. What else is being foisted on the public they have no say in? If Albanese gets his way the dis- and mis-information legislation will be passed and only the government will be able to say what is true and what isn’t. This isn’t how a democracy is supposed to work. Albo has to go.
An Opposition that DID craft its policies in line with its Party philosophy and convictions well ahead of any election would throw it out to the electorate for comment, criticism and debate. And IFFF it were well formulated and coherently presented to allay public fears of any unintended consequences, the electorate would comfortably vote for good policy. It worked for Jeff Kennett all those years ago in Victoria. And Tony Abbott a decade ago. And Milei in Argentina. And Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy. Good policy based on sound principles advanced well ahead of election time is a winner!
The Definition of insanity is voting the same and expecting different results . ALP -LNP same chook different head . The ALP has always been aligned with the CCP & The Greens & Teals are the fish that John West Rejects .
You don’t win elections solely by criticising the incumbent Government. Oppositions that win coherent and workable majorities (eg., Tony Abbott, 2013, Boris Johnson and the Brexit election) win by crafting a sound policy framework and communicating a positive message to the electorate. This requires thought and an adherence to principles to give a golden thread of consistency to specific policies and concepts.
Neither Liberal or labor Parties have either.
Oppositions do not table election policies before the election date is announced.
They do talk about aspirations, like defence and nuclear energy, and more examples I have noted.
I trust that you are not trying to suggest that Albanese Union controlled socialist Labor are therefore destined to remain in government despite the obvious chaos, dysfunction and incompetence they are displaying?
A reminder that the existing coal fired power station fleet could be maintained and generate for 70-80 years without government interference and subsidising inefficient competition wind and solar. The existing electricity grid would not need to be replaced, and capacity could be increased as required.
No new land needed for transmission lines and new main grid, and Small Modular Reactors providing nuclear energy to replace coal fired boiler powered generators could be added and gradually replace the coal fired boiler power stations.
The costs would be far lower than the Transition, Renewable Energy Target of 82 per cent of electricity supply being pursued by “Blackout” Bowen and comrades.
Base load electricity means the generated power available from the electricity grid needed to service all consumers as they demand it. Water supply pressure maintained by pumps is the water supply equivalent.
The fact is that immigration intake has overwhelmed the State Government services and infrastructure despite in New South Wales 12 years of public works projects including public land releases and new housing estates opened.
The rot started when the Carr Labor Government decided to limit public land release for housing because they apparently believed a housing shortage would deter migrants from settling in the Sydney Basin, but instead they created the housing crisis of demand well exceeding supply. This has become worse ever since. And to add to the problems Carr Labor cut back on State TAFE Colleges and capacity, I know of apprentices and other students being moved to different TAFE locations and even during a year and the following year. And the concentration on universities also discouraged young people from choosing a TAFE College education.
Now there is a shortage of qualified building and construction trades people, remuneration has been increasing as builders struggle to hire contractors and employees, and the costs add to the prices of new builds. Then add rising material costs and shortages in supply. Add government public works projects demand for skilled labour and materials. And the woke stupidity of replacing a perfectly good coal fired power station electricity supply system and electricity grid that generates essential base load and when needed peak demand supply 24 hours a day as needed with wind and solar hybrid system requiring expensive back up or firming, transmission lines from every location to the main grid and now a new main grid only needed by wind and solar intermittent operation, unreliable supply, so called “renewables”. Another drain on unavailable skilled labour and materials.
Voters, our nation is in serious trouble and heading for worse to come.