This is a great idea.
Coalition MPs are pushing for bolder “Australia-first” populist policies in the wake of Donald Trump’s victory in the US, as an influential conservative think-tank questions the party’s economic vision.
What form does it take?
The opposition’s first economic policy of the year – a tax deduction for business lunches – was welcomed by small business groups but panned on Wednesday by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who claimed his opponents had no ideas other than one to “get taxpayers to fund long lunches for bosses”.
Or.
One MP, who declined to be named so they could speak frankly, said the opposition’s focus on national and domestic security issues such as antisemitism was important and effective but the lack of focus on cost-of-living gave the impression the Coalition was a “one-trick pony”.
None of this is Australia First policy. It’s the usual vested interests balderdash.
For clarity, this is what an Australia First policy platform would look like:
- Slash immigration to zero to protect wages and end the crush loading of everything, including housing.
- Slash government spending and taxes.
- Crash interest rates.
- Reserve gas for cheap energy and drill, baby, drill for more of it.
- Apply strategic tariffs to repatriate supply chains and diversify trade from China.
- Slash red tape, reform taxes, boost competition.
None of this is on the Coalition agenda nor appears even in the heads of those who would like to see an Australia First agenda.
Nobody in Canberra seems to know what “Australia” is, let alone needs any more.
