ELECTION 07: PROMISES, PROMISES...

IN THIS CAMPAIGN On Health On Education On Tax On Greenhouse On Industrial Relations On integrity of government and democracy RELATED CAMPAIGNS Climate Change Our Action Plans Senate Watch Our Record in the Senate

Promises, promises...we respond to the major legislative commitments the ALP and Coalition made during the 2007 election campaign Note:  These commitments are based on proposals that, in many cases have little detail.  Once legislation is available and considered by Senate committees, we will develop more comprehensive responses. On Health ALP Democrats response National reform including: Refer all measures to committee > Waiting list blitz Likely oppose unless recommended by HHRC > Health & Hospitals Reform Commission (HHRC) Support > Public hospitals report cards Oppose unless HHRC finds evidence in favour > More nurses Support but amend to include nurse practitioner training GP Super clinics Likely support but refer to committee More funding for public dental services Support     Coalition Democrats response Local hospital boards Oppose.  Politically motivated, bureaucratic and unlikely to improve services. Hospital nursing schools Consider and amend to link to existing training – refer to committee More GP training places and more specialist training places in the private sector Consider and amend to make specialist places universal Family emergency medical centres Likely support – refer to committee On Education ALP Democrats response 15 hours free 4 year old preschool Support but negotiate more free hours and 3 year old access 50% tax rebates for computers, internet, text books Oppose.  Inequitable, better directed to schools and complicates tax system. All other measures Support     Coalition Democrats response Education tax rebate Oppose.  Inequitable, complicates tax system and is effectively a voucher system for fees More Australian Technical Colleges Consider if amended to integrate with and make co-managed by TAFE colleges and secondary schools Summer school for teachers Consider but warn of ineffectiveness of short programs.  More effective to subsidise postgraduate study. On Tax ALP Democrats response $30.85b tax cuts:  Same as Coalition less top two tax rate changes Needs review because of RBA warnings of inflationary impacts.  Persuade Labor to concentrate on low income needs and workforce participation measures.  Prefer indexation of tax rates and raising tax-free threshold and fixing negative tax/welfare interaction – refer to committee $0.5b: Home savings account incl. concessional (15%) tax rate on pre-tax deposits and earnings Likely support but fear ineffective in improving affordability – refer to committee     Coalition Democrats response $34b tax cuts:  $20/week saving on average earnings, rising to $35/week from 1 July 2010 through changes to lowest 2 thresholds and cuts to top two tax rates Oppose.  Prefer Labor plan but same comments apply above. $1.565b:   Home savings accounts < age 39 with first $1,000 tax deductible each year and interest tax free Likely support but fear ineffective in improving affordability – refer to committee On Greenhouse ALP Democrats response National Emissions Trading Scheme Support but amend to include power stations and industrial processes, cap and trade, auction of permits, agriculture sector as offsets – refer to committee Increase MRET  to 20% by 2020 Support Solar Institute, geothermal, solar cities, low interest loans for efficiency, solar rebates Support Expand national mandatory energy efficiency standards, phase out inefficient water heaters, improve labelling to 10 stars and introduce minimum standards Support but push for energy efficiency target of 20% by 2020 and an efficiency trading system     Coalition Democrats response National Emissions Trading Scheme by 2012 Support but amend to include power stations and industrial processes, cap and trade, auction of permits, agriculture sector as offsets – refer to committee Clean energy target of 30,000 GWh (~15%) by 2020 and takeover state schemes Oppose.  State schemes preferable because they exclude clean coal and nuclear Remove legal impediments to nuclear power Oppose. On Industrial Relations ALP Democrats response Toss out WorkChoices Support Establish a fairer system with greater role for collective bargaining.  Support unitary system, no change to secondary boycotts; restricted right of entry and right to strike; restricted awards; ABCC transition; AWAs transition. Must await detailed legislation, but broadly support in preference to WorkChoices.  Democrats argue for single strong independent national IR commission and single national Workplace Regulator; genuine safety net with 8 minimum conditions; streamlined award system with 16 allowable matters. Exempt small business with <15 employees from unfair dismissal laws Democrats support tight restricted UFD provisions for all employees. Will consider but prefer lower threshold.     Coalition Democrats response No new policy announcements WorkChoices is not efficient, simple or equitable. It is not a unitary system, it is complex, it is over-regulated, and is far too prescriptive. See Democrats platform above. On integrity of government and democracy ALP Democrats response Ministers will be made responsible for their administrations Support and urge Labor to establish committees in the Senate and the Reps to develop code of conduct for ministers, their staff and other MPs Merit-based, transparent appointments Push for umbrella legislation that sets standard criteria and processes Best practice public interest disclosure protection Support Restructure of information laws incl. Independent Freedom of Information Commissioner Support but ensure high legal standards Auditor General to monitor government advertising criteria Support but strengthen to ban aggressive misuse of taxpayer-funded partisan political advertising Repeal unfair electoral laws Support but press to match UK, NZ and Canadian initiatives, particularly funding disclosure and political governance, and ban foreign donations     Coalition Democrats response No measures proposed