Albanese promises ‘most ambitious budget’, plays down gas levy talk
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More news: Albanese has promised his “most ambitious” budget to date, as Australia faces the reality of rolling economic crises as the norm.
But the prime minister framed Australia as well-equipped to “thrive” in a world in which “global shocks … are not passing storms”.
The prime minister declared the 12 May budget will be his “most ambitious” yet, arguing Australia could not continue with a “status quo that doesn’t work for people”.
“It has to be the scale of the challenge facing us, and the breadth of opportunities ahead of us, demands that ambition and that urgency,” he said.
Albanese said multiple shocks in the last decade — the Covid pandemic, Chinese tariffs, and the ongoing Middle East War — had exposed Australia’s overreliance on supply chains.
“The global shocks we have hit this decade are not passing storms,” he said.
“They are the extremes of a more volatile economic climate, where economic policy and national security are bound together and where international supply chains are instruments of economic and strategic competition.”
The comments did not mention an increasingly erratic Washington or Beijing, but echoed those made by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during recent trips to Australia.
Albanese said Australia’s position as a stable democracy and reliable partner made it well-equipped to “thrive” in the disruption.
“[We have a] unique and unbeatable combination of advantages: our traditional resources, our critical minerals and our clean energy, our trade ties and diaspora connections to our region and to the world,” he said.
But Albanese played down the prospect of a levy on gas companies whose profits have spiked since the war erupted, arguing it could impact Australia’s reputation for reliability among its allies.
“Just as we expect countries that supply us to stick to agreements which are there, we think it’s very important that the contracts that we have be fulfilled completely with countries in our region,” he said.
“That’s the quid pro quo.”
Albanese would have a path through parliament for a 25% levy, which the Greens have publicly backed.
“Some of the commentary that is there ignores a whole range of the issues … [and] pretend that there isn’t a return to the Australian people from the resources sector,” he said.
What they said: “It is our government’s most important budget to date, and it will be our most ambitious,” he said.
“It has to be the scale of the challenge facing us and the breadth of opportunities ahead of us, demands that ambition and that urgency. Our Australian character demands that ambition, too.”
Albanese unveils gambling reforms but stops short of Murphy Review recommendations
The news: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled a suite of reforms to curb gambling but has stopped short of adopting the full recommendations of the Murphy Review.
The context: Addressing the National Press Club on Thursday, Albanese declared Australian children should not grow up “thinking that footy and gambling inextricably linked”.
More than a thousand days after the late Labor MP Peta Murphy handed down a sweeping review into Australia’s gambling crisis, Albanese confirmed the government would move to cut down on the practice.
They include:
- Gambling ads between 6am and 8:30pm being capped at three per hour.
- A total ban on gambling advertising during school drop off and pick up.
- A ban on content which cross promotes commentary and betting odds.
- A ban on gambling advertising on sport jerseys and in stadiums.
- An 18-year-old age limit on online gambling and mandatory opt-out systems.
- A block on offshore gambling sites and so-called ‘pocket pokies’.
Albanese confirmed the government would release its full response to the review on the next parliamentary sitting day.
Asked why he had not adopted all of Murphy’s recommendations — including a duty of care requirement, a levy to fund gambling harm reduction, and a national regulator — Albanese insisted that “the government determines positions, not committees”.
“Overwhelmingly, more than half of problem gambling is about poker machines,” he said.
“That’s not covered by any of this at all. So, we will deal with things appropriately with regard to a duty of care.”
What they said: “We are getting the balance right, letting adults have a punt if they want to, but making sure that our children don’t see betting ads everywhere they look,” Albanese said.
“We don’t want kids growing up thinking that footy and gambling inextricably linked.”
The source: Anthony Albanese National Press Club address
