Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he is determined to breathe fresh life into several key stalled reforms when parliament resumes next month, a sign he is not rushing to call a January election campaign.
And despite being under pressure from public polls that show Labor may be facing a minority government after the election, Mr Albanese said he has never seen a political party as “united, as cohesive and as determined as the Australian Labor Party is going into 2025”.
Speaking to the ABC in his first sit-down television interview of the year, in which he suggested tech billionaire Elon Musk’s social media campaigning is a form of “foreign interference” in Australian politics, Mr Albanese also indicated the government might have more to say about reforms to Medicare bulk billing ahead of the election.
Speculation has focused on rumours that Mr Albanese is not keen to bring parliament back next month, and would prefer to use momentum from his northern campaign blitz this week to kick start an early campaign.
However, fresh from a flurry of stops across Queensland and the Northern Territory this week — with upcoming visits to Kununurra in WA and Perth on Thursday and Friday — Mr Albanese appeared relaxed about returning to the hot house of parliament.
Busy February agenda for parliament
He said his top priority for February’s scheduled parliamentary sittings would be to pass legislation to establish tax credits for critical minerals and rare earth miners, a policy opposed by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
Mr Albanese also hinted that the door was still open to negotiating with the Coalition on reforms to election funding laws in the face of stiff opposition from the Greens and teal independents.
“We want to get, firstly, our legislation for production tax credits through the Senate,” Mr Albanese said in the interview, on a cattle station in the NT.
“That’s about supporting new industries, particularly in the resources sector.”
“We have rare earths and critical minerals, and this will be important in setting Australia up for the future. And importantly, tax credits, of course, reward success. So, we want to encourage that investment because we think that we need to seize the opportunities which are there.”
On election reforms that would cap donations to political parties by wealthy individuals, Mr Albanese hinted that the legislation was not yet dead, even though the government fell short at the last moment of winning the Coalition’s support when parliament last sat last year.
“We want to make sure there’s accountability. People should be transparent about who’s donating money during election campaigns … it’s one of the things we’ve committed to.”
Asked whether he would come to a deal with the Greens on laws to introduce an environmental protection agency, Mr Albanese said it was unlikely because they would only back it “if they get what they want”.
Election pitch taking shape
Mr Albanese has spent much of this week seeking to emphasise Labor’s credentials on infrastructure spending and health, while setting up a contrast to Peter Dutton’s nuclear power plan.
Despite concerns from some economists that more spending promises could make it harder for the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut interest rates, Mr Albanese is understood to be considering a range of promises to take to the election, including reforms to bulk billing.
Asked to confirm a report this month in the Sydney Morning Herald that there would be changes to make Medicare more affordable, Mr Albanese appeared to keep that option open.
“We’ll make all our health announcements at the appropriate time,” he said.
Mr Albanese also shrugged off any threat from US tech billionaire Elon Musk at the coming election, given the close Donald Trump supporter has shown a willingness to attack progressive world leaders on his social media network.
“I’ll stand up for Australia’s national interest and won’t be intimidated by anyone, particularly not an area of foreign interference.
“Mr Musk has his views.
“What I will do is represent Australia’s national interests without fear or favour. And part of that is making sure that social media is held to account, because social media has a social responsibility.”
