Latest news with #PeterDutton
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Sussan Ley pushes for new collaborative policy process in bid to avoid Peter Dutton-style party control
Sussan Ley will ask Coalition MPs to endorse a new policy development process designed to empower backbenchers and include more diverse voices, part of efforts to avoid repeating the political overreach which occurred during Peter Dutton's leadership. At a meeting of the joint Coalition party room in Canberra on Friday, the opposition leader will outline a bottom-up approach for new policy proposals. Details of the plan were circulated to MPs on Thursday night, after a meeting of the shadow ministry at Parliament House. Liberal sources said Ley wanted consultative design work for ideas to be led by shadow ministers and specialist working groups before the 2028 federal election. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The new process will allow backbench policy committees more say in the opposition's pitch to voters, ending idea bottlenecks and taking advantage of MPs' expertise and community connections from outside politics. The scale of the Coalition's loss on 3 May is expected to be discussed at Friday's meeting, before a formal review led by Howard government minister Nick Minchin and former New South Wales state minister Pru Goward. Before the election, some Liberals complained about policy ideas being ignored by Dutton and the opposition leadership team, with backbench committees being asked to rubber stamp ideas immediately before they were announced. Ley has told MPs she wants a more strategic approach, based on expert advice and better external engagement. In a speech to the National Press Club this week, she announced the first working group, which will consider energy and emissions reductions policies. Led by shadow minister Dan Tehan, it will consider Dutton's nuclear power plan amid fierce internal debate about net zero by 2050 policies. 'Our policy development process will be iterative and continuous,' Ley said on Wednesday. 'It will evolve throughout the term in response to internal and external feedback, emerging issues, and ongoing engagement with the community.' Her promise to be a 'zealot' on recruiting more women to Liberal party ranks is being debated internally but frontbencher Angus Taylor on Thursday talked down any move to introduce gender quotas. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'It's not something that I think is necessary in order to get the outcome,' Taylor told Sky News. 'I think attracting, mentoring, retaining great people and great women in the party is incredibly important work for absolutely everybody, for all leaders. And I take that very seriously.' Nationals leader David Littleproud used the opening of the shadow ministry meeting to energise dispirited colleagues. 'You can do one of two things: you can get in the foetal position, give up, or you can come out swinging,' he said. 'Let's come out swinging. Let's hold this government to account, and let's show Australians that we are here for them and we have the solutions for them.' The minister for women, Katy Gallagher, warned the Coalition needed to do more than identify its failures on gender representation. Labor introduced quotas for female representation in the mid-1990s. 'It's actually the next step that matters, which is: what are you going to do about it? 'I think we'll just have to wait and see whether the rhetoric is actually matched by action,' Gallagher said.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Sussan Ley says 'time and place' for Acknowledgement of Country after National Press Club speech
Sussan Ley has said Acknowledgements of Country should not become a box ticking exercise, and that there is a 'time and a place' for the declaration during her first major speech as Opposition Leader. Her words were a departure from the stance taken by her predecessor Peter Dutton, with acknowledgement of country statements notably missing from major Liberal Party events and speeches during the election, like the official campaign launch in Western Sydney. Speaking to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Ms Ley began her speech 'acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today'. Asked on Thursday if her speech 'settled' the debate on Acknowledgements and Welcome to Country, Ms Ley said neither should be overused. 'Look I think Acknowledgements of Country have their place, but in significant moments like yesterday was one of those places,' she told ABC radio. 'And as Environment Minister and Health Minister, I listened carefully and I participated in what I would describe as meaningful Welcome to Country ceremonies that involved the circumstances of Indigenous Australians with respect to our natural environment and their own health that were relevant and important.' Continuing, she said: 'I don't think it should be ticking a box on a teams meeting'. 'I don't think it should be at every work meeting, because I think that actually diminishes the value of what it is. 'So there is a time and a place, and it's about striking the right balance.' Her comments follow a factitious election campaign where Mr Dutton avoided giving Acknowledgement to Country statements, said Welcome to Country ceremonies were overdone and went as far to say he didn't support Welcome to Country ceremonies on Anzac Day. Speaking to the Opposition party room in Canberra on Thursday, Ms Ley said the Coalition needed to 'rebuild with humility' and represent a diverse range of groups following the 'sobering' election loss. 'Our job is to present that alternative narrative for Australians so they look at us and know that we're a party that respects, reflects and will represent modern Australia, and we can restore their faith and trust in us,' she said. Nationals Leader David Littleproud urged the party to 'come out swinging'. 'So while it's, it's humbling and it's, it's disappointing the election result, you can do one of two things: you can get in the foetal position, give up, or you can come out swinging,' he said. 'And being from western Queensland, we always take the latter. 'So let's come out swinging. Let's hold this government to account, and let's show Australians that we are here for them and we have the solutions for them.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Super tax debate highlights everything wrong with Australia's media and economic system
The reason why we don't have free dental in Medicare is because we subsidise the inheritance of the wealthiest people in Australia. I know it might shock you to see it written plainly, it might even annoy you. But it is the truth. The way superannuation is mostly covered by the media in this country is about how to avoid paying tax and how to use it to fund inheritance. Take the headline this week in Nine newspapers 'money column': 'We have $8m in an SMSF. How can we avoid the new super tax?' You could hardly find a more pointed example of everything wrong with Australia's media and economic system. I look forward to the SMH and others providing advice on how people on jobseeker can work for cash to avoid losing any benefits and paying extra tax. Similarly, it doesn't take long for any story about the proposed changes to the tax breaks on superannuation balances over $3m to mention inheritance. That's because $3m is so far beyond what anyone needs to retire comfortably that only the most self-delusional think they need more than that to survive. Heck, the main way Peter Dutton criticised the changes was to label them a 'quasi inheritance tax'. The best one of the genre is an AFR headline: 'New $3m super tax is 'stealing my children's inheritance''. You might expect that from the AFR, but you would hope for better from the ABC. On Tuesday night, ABC's 7.30 reported on a pair of farmers who were worried about the changes to the superannuation tax breaks because the combined balances of the couple was $5.5m and so might soon have a combined $6m (ie more than $3m each). The 7.30 story had no mention of inheritance, but the written version noted that 'the money isn't only being used to fund their retirement. The plan is for it to help fund the inheritances of their other children without necessitating selling off the family farm.' Let's stop right there. We don't give tax breaks on superannuation so that you can fund the inheritance of your children. Tattoo that on your eyeballs. Superannuation tax breaks are designed to encourage you to save so you do not need to rely on the age pension. It is not so your kids can get a head start in life. That might be a nice thing for you to do, but there is zero public benefit in giving you a tax break to do it. The story also contained the claim by the couple's son that 'Mum and Dad will be up for an extra $120,000 a year'. According to the report, the extra tax was due to the anticipated unrealised capital gain of the farming assets (the wind turbines and the agricultural chemical businesses) once the couple's super balance passed $6m (ie $3m each). Well now. If your Spidey senses are tingling, you should be a journalist. Because that seems a rather bold claim. Consider that to pay $120,000 in tax on just plain old income you need to earn $342,000 a year. If the graph does not display click here Given the average tax on that is 35.1%, we know that cannot be the case for super, because super earnings are only taxed at 15% until the balance goes above $3m and then the earnings attributable to the amount above $3m are taxed at 30% – both below 35%. So, for that claim to be true, the earnings on their superannuation (including unrealised capital gains) would need to be well over $342,000. How much? Well, the Treasury has given us a handy fact sheet that lets us work it out. For one person with a $3m super balance, their fund would need to increase by $2m for them to have to pay an extra $120,000 (yes, just a 6% tax rate). But what if the $120,000 is combined? In that case, both their funds would need to grow in a year from $3m to $4.3m. Each would pay $60,035 on that $1.3m unrealised gains. Yep, a tax rate of just 4.6% each. If the graph does not display click here Consider as well that an ordinary income earner pays an average tax rate of 4.6% when they earn just $25,500. Those with super balances of over $3m are still getting a tax break because if it was taxed like normal income they would pay 45% tax not 30%. These tax breaks cost money. Money that the government has decided it is better to spend than, for example, to include dental in Medicare. Let's do some maths. The cost of putting dental in Medicare, which would include 'preventative and therapeutic dental services, including regular check-ups and teeth cleans, crowns, orthodontic treatment, oral surgeries, periodontics and prosthodontics' is estimated by the Parliamentary Budget Office to be $13.63bn in the first year. That is a lot of money. But not compared to how much each year the government gives in tax breaks to the richest 10% on their superannuation – most of whom will not be eligible of the age pension, and thus are getting a tax break for no public good, and much of which will go towards inheritance. In 2025-26, the Treasury estimates these breaks will cost the budget $22bn. If the graph does not display click here When the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, was asked about dental in Medicare during the election campaign he told reporters that 'we've got to make sure that we can afford it and make sure there's room for it in the budget'. OK, then. Let's not cut all the super tax concessions for the richest 10%. Let's still give them $8bn a year in tax breaks to help ensure they have stonks more money than they need for retirement. Great, we have now found room in the budget to pay for dental in Medicare. Dental in Medicare or tax breaks to the richest so they can give money tax free to their kids? Budget and governing are about choices, and so too is how the media covers it. Greg Jericho is a Guardian columnist and policy director at the Centre for Future Work
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
‘We got smashed': Sussan Ley reframes the Liberal narrative after election defeat
'We got smashed': Sussan Ley reframes the Liberal narrative after election defeat Published 25 June 2025, 8:58 am The Opposition Leader has used an address at the National Press Club to outline her plans to reshape the Liberal Party after the disastrous federal election result painting her leadership as a departure from Peter Dutton. Sussan Ley promised to be a zealot in recruiting women to the party. She also made a deeply personal admission about her own experience of coercion and control, vowing to use her position to address domestic violence.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Sussan Ley's press club address marks tone shift for Liberals
Sussan Ley has set the tone for how she will seek to rebuild the Liberal Party, opening a major address to the National Press Club with an acknowledgement of country and a vow that she is someone who respects the public service. The comments were nods to policies the Coalition took to a federal election that saw it wipe-out and nearly completely lose its footing in Australia's metro areas. In her first address as leader to the press club, which was snubbed for several years by former leader Peter Dutton, Ms Ley spelled out that the Liberal Party would look different under her watch. The Liberal leader acknowledged the party had not just lost, "we got smashed", and what had been presented to Australian voters was "comprehensively rejected". The party is now reviewing its election loss, as well as undertaking a deeper review of its future, with one key issue being its falling representation of women in parliament and the ongoing internal struggle over whether to introduce quotas to forcibly lift it. Ms Ley put her party on notice that she was "agnostic" about how to improve the party's representation of women, but a "zealot" in seeing that it happened, and would not accept state branches who did not improve. "If some state divisions choose to implement quotas, that is fine. If others don't, that is also fine," she said. "But what is not fine is not having enough women. As the first woman leader of our federal party, let me send the clearest possible message: We need to do better, recruit better, retain better and support better." Over the next two days the Liberal party room, the shadow ministry and shadow cabinet will meet in their first formal opportunities to discuss those party reviews. As part of the Coalition's reset, Ms Ley said a dedicated working group was also being stood up to nut out one of the thorniest issues for the party: its energy and emissions reduction policies. The Coalition campaigned on a promise to build seven nuclear power plants over the coming decades, which would have been a major shift in Australia's energy network. After its election loss, the Nationals briefly broke from the Liberal Party over an initial refusal to re-endorse nuclear power before it was examined by the Coalition's post-loss review. And an ongoing internal struggle over climate policy continues to roil within the Coalition. After former prime minister Scott Morrison finally negotiated an agreement with the Nationals to sign on to net zero emissions by 2050, the party is now again openly questioning whether to keep that commitment, with some Nationals MPs publicly advocating it be dumped. Ms Ley said the working group would be led by opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan, and include Shadow Treasurer Ted O'Brien, opposition resources spokeswoman Susan McDonald, manager of opposition business Alex Hawke, opposition environment spokeswoman Angie Bell, and Dean Smith and Andrew Willcox. That group will report directly to Ms Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud, tasked with developing a policy with two focuses: a "stable" and "affordable" energy grid and reducing emissions so Australia is playing its part in the global effort. In a call for stability after only narrowly winning the Liberal leadership over challenger Angus Taylor, Ms Ley also asked the room of Liberals that she be judged not on the "headlines nor polling of the day", but on the next federal election result in 2028. Recounting her personal story, Ms Ley noted her own history in the public service, tacitly acknowledging the party's unpopular promise at the election to slash the public service and force staff back to the office — a policy it dumped in an astonishing mid-campaign jettison after it was received poorly by voters. "Before entering parliament, I worked at the Australian Tax Office. That role gave me a firsthand understanding of how our tax system works and, often, how it doesn't," Ms Ley said. "It reinforced my view that economic management must be responsible, practical and always focused on delivering value to the taxpayer. "It also reinforced something I learned as the child of an intelligence officer: a deep and abiding respect for the public service. That is part of my story too." In another subtle nod, Ms Ley opened her address with an acknowledgement to traditional owners, marking a shift after Mr Dutton said during the election campaign he believed Indigenous acknowledgements were sometimes "overdone". In the first press club address by a Liberal leader in several years, Ms Ley said voters' rejection of her party at the election was not lost on her or her colleagues. "As we seek to regain trust with all voters across our great country, the task before me — and my team — is to lead a Liberal Party that respects modern Australia, reflects modern Australia and represents modern Australia," Ms Ley said. While the party is continuing to rework its policies, Ms Ley did name a handful of priorities for this term. The opposition leader insisted that Australia must further lift its defence spending as global instability erodes further. The United States has demanded Australia lift its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product, or about an extra $40 billion a year if enacted immediately, well beyond the government's current plan to lift defence spending from 2 per cent to 2.33 per cent over the next eight years. Ms Ley said addressing family violence and child safety was another major concern for her this term. "I understand the fear you feel when you go for a walk alone because I have felt that fear too. I understand the pain that comes with coercion and control because I have felt that pain too," Ms Ley said. "I will never let domestic and family violence fall down the list of priorities. "Prime minister, when it comes to standing up for women and children, I am ready to work with you." The Liberal leader also pointed to tech giants she said were making billions of dollars "peddling addictive technology" to children, and artificial intelligence technologies that "commoditise our kids and deep fakes [that] ruin the lives of women". Ms Ley concluded that the Coalition must offer an agenda that builds aspiration and rewards aspiration, and that reconnects with Australians.
