The last 4 years in Australian politics have seen the country in turmoil for any number of reasons, from catastrophic bushfires in 2019 to the Covid-19 pandemic beginning in 2020 and dragging on until the current day. This has been a tough time to be the leader of any country in the world and the Liberal Party of Australia has not done themselves any favors when it comes to gaining the trust and loyalty of the Australian public.
Early polls indicate that the Australian Labour Party is well in front when it comes to public opinion in relation to the upcoming federal election and this is for several reasons. Aside from Australians plainly looking for a change of leadership, the Australian Labour Party has engaged in some interesting election promises for the Australian people.
Financial issues
While neither party is going into the election with any clear indication about how they will solve the $1 trillion dollar debt that the country carries, the ALP has made the commitment that the only tax increases will be geared towards multinational companies. No matter which party takes the reigns after the election is completed, it is clear that the Reserve Bank of Australia is destined to come under review and scrutiny for the first time since the 1980s. The ALP has promised to closely monitor the country’s spending, ensuring that “quality over quantity” is achieved if nothing else.
Education and research
One of the ALPs’ largest election promises centers around education with a proposed investment of $1.1 billion which is aimed at making TAFE placements free of charge and supporting the creation of an additional 20,000 placements in universities across the country. The ALP is looking to invest in the people. This is showcased by the $440 million that the party has proposed to completely overhaul the ventilation and mental health support in schools. This is met by an opposing proposal from the coalition to enhance the Australian apprenticeships scheme and for the commercialization of university research which proposes a much larger investment.
Climate change
Climate change is a subject that is becoming a more central point of focus in Australia with recent natural disasters enhancing scrutiny from the public on Government actions in relation to climate change. The 2022 Australian election odds weigh heavily on how the candidates propose to tackle one of the country’s biggest issues. Interestingly, each party has proposed a completely different strategy when it comes to how they plan to achieve the net-zero emissions target for 2050. The Liberals plan to focus on the country’s largest polluters, while the ALP is reaching for a more ambitious goal of a 43% cut of emissions before 2030.
Will it be enough?
With other prominent Australian issues such as medical benefits, industrial relations, and childcare on the table, will the promises of the Australian Labour Party be enough to get them over the line in the 2022 federal election in Australia? The Liberal party has held control for 2 consecutive terms so far but change is certainly in the air. Even though the polls so far show that the Australian Labour Party are clearly in the lead when it comes to public opinion, only time will tell if their proposals and election promises will be enough for them to take the reins of the country.