the year ahead in Federal Parliament 

By Adam Bandt MP, Leader of the Australian Greens 

 

In Canberra over the last few weeks during the first sitting of Parliament for the new year, it’s increasingly clear that the politicians from Labor, the Liberals and the Nationals aren’t concerned with tackling the problems we all face. 

All across the Parliament, lobbyists from the big corporations are in and out of the buildings, having meetings with Cabinet Ministers and the Opposition. There’s the people from the Minerals Councils, pharmaceutical industry and the big supermarkets.

These lobbyists have too much power. They give huge donations, and too many of the politicians end up working in the big lobbying firms and their representatives once they’re done in the Parliament. 

This is one of the reasons why the country is a bit of a mess, but working just fine for big corporations.

In Western Australia, they’re facing menacing heat waves - but the gas industry is doing great. In Queensland, cyclones are destroying property and in Victoria, intense storms which knocked out the power for thousands of people - but the coal industry is doing well.  

The problem is, the politicians have all the wrong priorities. They’re focused on making things easier for the big corporations, rather than improving people’s living standards. 

Labor could tackle the cost of living crisis, but it would mean taking on the big corporations who are making massive profits. They’re choosing not to. But the Greens will. 

Labor could tackle the housing crisis, but they would prefer to protect the interests of wealthy property investors.

People who are renting, trying to buy a home, or struggling with their mortgages are being forced to make massive sacrifices in order to survive, but Labor’s spending billions on tax breaks for wealthy investors and making the problem worse. 

And Labor could tackle the climate crisis, but they are instead backing more coal and gas - which is the leading cause of the climate crisis.      

Labor and Liberal do what big corporations and the wealthy want, not what people need. 

The politicians are taking huge donations from big corporations and lobbyists. A new report has shown that there’s a 500% increase in donations to Labor and Liberal from the lobbyists of big corporations.  

They’re not giving this money for nothing. 

There is a reason why rents and mortgages are too expensive. There’s a reason why food, medicine and essentials are too expensive. There’s a reason why wages are too low. 

It’s because government won’t take on the big corporations. Big corporations are hiring lobbyists to stalk the halls of power and get special treatment. The fact there’s a 500% increase in these donations shows that the system is rigged.

It’s been rigged by politicians in favour of big corporations and the wealthy. It means that big corporations haven’t paid their fair share in tax.

It means that the government is still charging people more and more for their degrees, and we don’t have dental and mental health care part of Medicare. 

People can see that this power structure has been created by politicians to benefit the wealthy and the powerful.

When young people start trying to figure out why they can’t buy a home, but wealthy property investors can get handouts on owning multiple properties, they can see that something’s up. 

People can see that while they pay more and more for a trolley of food, Coles and Woolworths are making more and more profits. 

We need to make big corporations pay more tax. Right now, a third of big corporations aren’t paying any. Making them pay their fair share will reduce the cost of living.

But most importantly, making them pay their fair share will allow us to ensure everyone has an affordable home, affordable food to eat, free education, and mental and dental care as part of medicare. If big corporations paid their fair share, childcare could be completely free. 

The government has the power to tackle the cost of living. They have the power to control costs. They have the power to make the big corporations pay, and provide universal, well funded public services. To do it, they have to take on the big corporations, and fight for everyday people. 

The government also has the power to tackle the climate crisis. They have the power to stop approving new coal and gas. They have the power to rapidly transition to renewables. But to do it, they have to take on the big coal and gas corporations. 

This year in Parliament, while Labor lets you down, the Greens are fighting for you.