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ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Liberals were too focused on homebuyer help and urban sprawl, says Andrew Bragg
The Liberal Party's reliance on urban sprawl to fix the housing crisis was "misguided" and the opposition could prioritise supply by threatening state governments, new spokesperson Andrew Bragg has said. Previously an assistant in the housing portfolio under Peter Dutton, Senator Bragg was promoted on Wednesday to shadow minister by Sussan Ley, who said he would also have "economy-wide" responsibility for productivity and deregulation. "You should have some policies which help prioritise first homeowners, but the thrust of your policy should be on the supply side," he told the ABC in an interview. "We need to look very carefully at how we ensure that the states are going to meet their end of the bargain … We need to look at the carrots and the sticks." Senator Bragg also declared himself a supporter of working from home and suggested he would focus on slashing paperwork for small business owners, whom he said Labor had neglected. Economists panned Mr Dutton's housing platform, which would have allowed first homebuyers tap into their super, secure easier loans, and enjoy tax deductions on their mortgages. Senator Bragg said it was "possible" the approach he helped to craft did too much on the demand side and could have pushed up prices. "We need to find demand-side policies which do tilt the scales in favour of first homebuyers, and which do ensure that the bank of mum and dad is not going to be the only way that a young person can get a house. [But] the supply side is very important." The main Coalition supply policy at the last election was to fund sewer pipes and connecting roads to build new homes on the urban fringe, which then-housing spokesperson Michael Sukkar said should be the location of the "Australian dream". But Senator Bragg said supply policy should not be fixated on outer suburbia. "Our policies going forward will be reviewed, but my disposition is … if we have a housing supply policy it would be deployed everywhere, in the inner city, in the regions, in the outer suburbs. "You need to infill. You need to build up where the transport infrastructure is, and the idea that you would have a scheme that would only apply to outer suburbs, I think, is very misguided … People live everywhere, frankly." Senator Bragg said Labor's proposal for the federal government to build homes itself via grants was "one of the craziest ideas I've ever heard" and would be opposed. Instead, he said the focus should be on knocking down barriers to private sector supply at state and local level and left the door open to withholding GST or other payments from states that don't do enough, an idea he floated as assistant spokesperson. "In NSW for example, Chris Minns talks a big game on housing, but the Rose Hill complex has fallen over, he's had a number of disasters under his premiership … Maybe we look at league tables, we look at working out how exactly we rank states." In his newly created portfolio of productivity and deregulation, Senator Bragg said the priority would be to advocate for unlocking more private investment. "The most jobs created in Australia in the last few years are non-market jobs. The size of the state is getting larger and larger … [but] we haven't even seen from the government discussion of what you can do to get private investment moving." He said Labor had "vacated the field" on stimulating investment and that Australia should focus on "national competitiveness". "We are in a global race to attract more investment into our jurisdiction because that will result in more jobs," he said. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has named productivity as a priority for Labor's second term and tasked the independent Productivity Commission with proposing reforms. Senator Bragg said he would "do a lot of listening" to the commission and others. He added the Coalition would prioritise regulation busting for small businesses. "My sense is that most small businesspeople feel like the government doesn't imagine that they are people," he said. "When they finish their job at the end of the day they go home and they do their compliance tasks for the government, and so they lose their recreation and family time. And so we want to free people up to have their lives back." For larger businesses, he said the federal government's standard process for assessing the impact of regulations was not a "serious process". "I think we've got to be much more rigorous about how we assess the cost of new regulation." Senator Bragg, a leading moderate, made a pointed defence of Australia's target of net zero emissions by 2050, set by the Morrison government as part of the Paris climate accords but opposed by some Nationals. "We're looking at how net zero can best be deployed in Australia as part of our policy review. We are committed to cutting emissions and that can only be done as part of an international framework, so that's our starting point," he said. Ms Ley has declined to confirm that net zero will remain Coalition policy at the end of the review, but Senator Bragg said it was the "starting point". "We signed Australia up to net zero in 2021 … There are different ways of doing that and that's a process now that [energy spokesperson] Dan Tehan will lead," he said.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Sydney dust storm: some residents advised to stay inside due to ‘extremely poor' air quality
Parts of Sydney faced 'extremely poor' air quality warnings on Tuesday morning as a dust storm swept in from the east. Sydney's north-west and central west including Parramatta had the heaviest air pollution, with very poor air quality also observed across Sydney stretching as far south as Goulburn and as far north as Muswellbrook, according to official pollution monitoring stations. Those sensitive to air pollution were advised to stay indoors and close windows and doors until air quality improved, or to travel to places with air conditioning if preferred to their homes, the state government said, as a 'dust storm sweeping across NSW is impacting air quality across the state'. The government warned there were high levels of PM10 particles, a common feature of bushfire smoke or dust storms. PM10 particles have a diameter of 10 micrometres or less and are small enough to pass through the throat and nose and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects. Even those without particular sensitivities were advised to avoid outdoor physical activity if they develop symptoms such as coughing or a shortness of breath, and when indoors, to close windows and doors. The dust storm has travelled from South Australia, where it hit the town of Orroroo on Monday, blocking out the sky and covering the area in an orange haze. It also blanketed areas of regional Victoria on Monday afternoon, including Mildura in the state's north-west. The dust storms and haze affecting Australia's south-east were forecast to clear in the afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Dean Narramore, a bureau meteorologist, said south-westerly winds would clear out the dust haze affecting Sydney and surrounds in the next few hours. 'It's just lingering on the east coast in the next couple of hours, and then it's going to be all gone by this afternoon,' he said. Dust also swept through Melbourne, Canberra and surrounding regions early Tuesday morning after strong winds kicked up a haze out of drought-affected areas in South Australia and Victoria's west, Narramore said. He said those conditions have since eased but heavy and possibly damaging winds are still set to impact parts of south-west NSW. The BoM said dry conditions and strong winds caused the large dust clouds to form, leading to poor visibility and bad driving conditions that prompted some road closures.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
NSW Premier announces personal hardship assistance grants
Chris Minns says the state and federal governments will jointly fund personal hardship assistance grants of $180 an individual or $900 a family.
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Chow says Penang's RM100m advance will be offset via grant cuts from 2027 to 2029
GEORGE TOWN, May 22 — Penang's RM100 million advance application to the federal government last year was to cover the state government's projected deficit. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the application was in line with the provisions of Article 109(6) of the Federal Constitution, which places the responsibility on the federal government to assist state governments. He said the application was approved by the Finance Ministry (MOF) and the funds were disbursed to the state government the same year. 'With the disbursement of this advance, the MOF will offset the amount by reducing four types of grants allocated to the state government — the Capitation Grant, Service Charges Grant, Concurrent List Grant, and the Tahap Grant — in the years 2027 (RM33 million), 2028 (RM33 million), and 2029 (RM34 million),' he said during his winding-up speech at the Penang State Legislative Assembly today. 'From an accounting standpoint, to ensure that the advance amount matches the MOF's offset (mechanism), the state government will record the advance as non-revenue receipts in 2027 (RM33 million), 2028 (RM33 million), and 2029 (RM34 million),' he said. Meanwhile, Chow said the state Finance Department had reviewed the state revenue from two perspectives: increasing collection from existing revenue sources, including arrears, via methods such as data cleansing and revising outdated rates. He said the second perspective involves identifying new sources and methods to generate state revenue, including reviewing land tax rates and reclassifying rural to urban areas, as well as empowering statutory and state organisations to enable new revenue collection. Chow, who is also the state finance, economic development, land, and communications committee chairman, said several strategies are being implemented to boost revenue this year, including collecting RM1 million in arrears from parcel rent in 2025. He also proposed government land auctions, such as land forfeited under Section 100 of the National Land Code or other high-value and auction-worthy state-owned land. Other strategies include reviewing processes for changing land conditions and categories, and proposals for partnerships with private entities to operate or manage state government quarters. Chow, currently serving his second and final term as Chief Minister, pledged to hand over the leadership with the state in a strong financial position. 'I am confident that it will be in an excellent financial standing — perhaps even with the Consolidated Revenue Account restored to RM1 billion — when my successor takes over,' he said. — Bernama
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Chow Kon Yeow says Penang buys new cars for state excos every six years
GEORGE TOWN, May 22 — The Penang state government generally purchases new cars for state executive councillors every six years, a practice in place since 2013, according to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. The Padang Kota assemblyman said cars over five years old with high mileage often bring safety and maintenance issues. 'The maintenance costs for cars above six years old increased repair costs that are about RM42,144 each vehicle due to the replacement parts from wear and tear,' he said in his winding-up speech at the state legislative assembly today. He added that the state has spent almost RM650,000 on vehicle maintenance throughout the usage period. 'This is why the state decided to replace the old vehicles to reduce the costs of maintenance,' he said. He noted that the last time new cars were purchased for the state excos was in 2019. Chow was responding to criticisms from the Opposition over the rationale for the state's purchase of 15 new cars costing RM3,311,745 for its state excos and government officials amid financial constraints. He stressed that the old cars purchased in 2019 are still being used by the state government and have not been disposed of. 'They are placed in a pool and are used by government officers when needed,' he said. He added that even with the old cars in the pool, the number remains insufficient. Chow confirmed on Tuesday that the state had purchased 15 new Toyota Camrys — for 10 state excos, three ex-officio members, and one each for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The new cars arrived in March this year.
