We’re still going:

“Under Labor, migration will continue to put pressure on housing, infrastructure, and services.

But under the Coalition, we will cut the migration intake to free up housing and restore the great Australian dream of home ownership.

We will cut the permanent migration program by 25 per cent. [business groups are now seeing wages and skills shortage go up. I mean, I like the wages bit… but…]

We will ban foreign investors and temporary residents from purchasing existing Australian homes for two years. [so foreign investor in housing are bad, but domestic investors in housing deserve a capital gains tax and negative gearing? Labor are also doing this]

We will set stricter caps on foreign students to relieve stress on rental markets.[ a recent report found that foreign student had no impact on rental prices, but hey, who needs evidence – https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-21/australia-rent-crisis-not-international-students-fault-study/105076290]

We will invest $5 billion in essential infrastructure to get stalled housing projects off the ground and unlock 500,000 homes. [This is just $5bn for property investors and will do close to bugger all – as I wrote when they first announced it – https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/the-liberals-plan-to-boost-housing-is-just-a-5bn-gift-to-property-developers/]

And we will allow first home buyers to access up to $50,000 of their super for a home deposit. [oh god, more super, more juicing up demand = higher house prices!!!]

Consistent with our intent to pass the Lower Immigration and More Homes for Australians Bill, we will go further in lowering migration.”

Back to Peter Dutton [and Greg Jericho]

“AUKUS too has the potential to foster a new arm of our economy and transform our civil industrial base. [it most certainly won’t because any skills, equipment used in the development of any subs will be owned by the US military]

We will spend taxpayers’ money wisely – in a manner which has an economic multiplying effect, generates productivity, and can attract new investment. [so no more carparks in marginal seats?]

And we will curtail union militancy in workplaces. [union representation is at record lows]

We will revert to a simple definition of a casual worker. [because this will enable them to be sacked easier and also to enable workers can stay “casual” for well… ever]

The corrupt and disgraced CFMEU will be deregistered.

The construction industry watchdog will be restored – and big building sites will be safe again.

New anti-racketeering laws will be legislated.

And a dedicated AFP-led taskforce will tackle the criminal elements in our building sector that are ripping off Australians and undermining productivity. [why do I suspect they will not be looking at wage theft?]

Reviving growth also means having the back of small business, including tax relief.

We’ve got tax relief coming for small business:

We will increase the instant asset write-off to $30,000 and make this arrangement ongoing.

I note Labor has slashed this policy to a miserable $1,000 in its Budget – again showing its contempt for a sector that employs almost half of all our workers.

We will also provide a deduction of up to $20,000 per year for business-related meal expenses – which is also a much-needed shot in the arm for struggling cafes, restaurants, and pubs. [seriously, $20,000 to take your mates golfing and claim it as a business lunch. Just a terrible policy]

It will allow a local real estate agency or builder to take staff to a local café to celebrate a big sales event, or to say thanks for their hard work. [why on earth should tax payers pay for that? How will that improve productivity?]

It creates jobs – and supports the struggling hospitality sector. [spending in restaurants and take way has actually recovered very well after the pandemic]“

Continued from previous post:

This week, the Minister for Resources Madeleine King convened meetings with Australia’s major east coast gas exporters to assess the outlook for east coast gas supply over the coming months.

These are quarterly meetings as part of the Heads of Agreement with LNG exporters.

The Government has also taken advice from the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about the energy outlook.

The latest AEMO forecasts, published last week, highlighted an improving medium-term outlook with annual gas market shortages pushed back to 2029. Importantly, this highlighted that there is sufficient supply of uncontracted gas to meet domestic needs until that time.

Updated advice from the ACCC shows that there is sufficient gas available in Q3 of 2025, but securing proactive commitments of 9PJ of gas prevents domestic demand being in competition with export customers.

While our advice suggests the market will remain well supplied, the Government has taken action to secure additional supply commitments from gas exporters for Q3 under the Heads of Agreement.

Gas producers have committed to make an additional 9 PJ of gas available for the domestic market in Q3. These new commitments mean there will be a buffer of gas supply during a time of peak demand. The commitments involve a range of measures including call options to gas powered generators, expressions of interests, delayed shipments of LNG cargoes and seasonal gas swaps.

The government anticipated the gas reservation announcement (which was pretty heavily telegraphed) and have made an announcement of their own:

Since coming to office in 2022, the Government has focussed on delivering energy security for Australians.

We have delivered more gas for Australians and imposed stronger powers to require producers to make gas available domestically at affordable prices.

The Government has strengthened the Heads of Agreement with LNG producers to ensure uncontracted gas is offered to Australians first.

We have introduced a mandatory Gas Code of Conduct which delivers legally enforceable domestic gas supply commitments, while putting downward pressure on prices. The Gas Code has secured almost 650 petajoules of gas for Australian homes and businesses.

We have also strengthened the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism – so we can direct gas to be reserved for domestic use if there is a shortfall.

Peter Dutton [and Greg Jericho]

“This will secure an additional 10 to 20 per cent of the east coast’s demand – gas which would otherwise be exported.

Gas sold on the domestic market will be de-coupled from overseas markets to protect Australia from international price shocks.

And this will drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from over $14 per gigajoule to under 10 per gigajoule.

This is just the start.

We will immediately audit development-ready projects with a focus on the southern states.

We will fast-track a decision on Western Australia’s North West Shelf project. [this project is purely for exports to so it will not help gas prices here at all – nor will it raise any PRRT, nor will the companies have to pay any royalties on the gas. Woodside have also proposed using domestic gas to help meet its own energy needs on the project, which means it would not only addabout 12 coal fired power stations emissions into the atmosphere each year, and triple WA gas prices, it would also take gas from the domestic reserve to do so ]

We will halve approval times.

We will defund the activist-led Environmental Defenders Office that has obstructed projects.

We will accelerate new investment in gas projects by reinstating a $300 million Strategic Basin Plan and include gas in the Capacity Investment Scheme.

We will invest $1 billion in a Critical Gas Infrastructure Fund to increase gas pipeline and storage capacity.

We will put in place ‘use it or lose it’ stipulations for gas drilling companies – so offshore gas fields are not locked-up for years.

And we will ensure we will have a fit-for-purpose gas trigger to safeguard supply.

This plan will deliver lower wholesale gas prices which will flow through the economy.

Energy prices will always be lower under a Coalition Government.

A Dutton Coalition Government will also secure our nation’s energy security for decades to come over the longer term.

We will join the other 19 top economies in the world in adopting proven, zero-emissions nuclear power.

This is one of the most visionary and necessary policies put forward in our country’s history. [So visionary and necessary they have stopped talking about it]“

Skipping a bit because you have heard it all before, but on energy:

Tonight, I announce our National Gas Plan.

This plan will prioritise domestic gas supply, address shortfalls, and reduce energy prices for Australians.

We will immediately introduce an east coast gas reservation. [we of course have stonks of gas, but while a gas reservation policy seems fine, the problem is it works to create an incentive to keep using gas… gas which contributes to greenhouse gases (the cluse is in the name) and that make climate change worse. We do need to stop gas companies mining more gas and just shipping it off, but the real issue is to move as fast as we can to renewables]

Peter Dutton continues [so does Grogs. He’s barely holding on at this point]

I want Australian families to be making choices about what they will eat – not choosing whether to eat or heat.

To fight cost-of-living pressures, we need to get interest rates down.

To get interest rates down, we need to get inflation down.

And to get inflation down, we need to address its underlying causes – especially wasteful government spending.

Tonight, I announce that a Dutton Coalition Government will rein-in key inflationary, ineffectual, and imprudent spending measures of the Albanese Labor Government.

We will end the reckless $20 billion Rewiring the Nation Fund. [How will he get power to people from his pretend nuclear plants?]

We will stop the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund – under which not a single additional new home has been built. [Amy has covered the funds]

We will scrap Labor’s $16 billion of production tax credits over the next decade for critical minerals and green hydrogen. [Paging MAGA]

And we will reverse Labor’s increase of 41,000 Canberra-based public servants – saving $7 billion a year once in place, and well over $10 billion over the forward estimates.

But I also make this guarantee.

In line with the national interest and public expectations, we will continue to invest in essential services and critical areas of the economy – like health, aged-care, veterans’ support, the NDIS, and defence.

We won’t cut frontline service delivery roles. [uhuh]

We will ensure that the services Australians rely on are sustainable.

The choice is clear at the next election.

Under Labor, you will see more reckless and wasteful spending which will cause interest rates and inflation to stay higher for longer. [for example????]

And that means you will continue to pay more for everything.

More for food, for rents, for mortgages, for power, and for insurance.

You will continue to pay more tax too. [The Coalition is repealing legislated tax cuts meaning you would pay more tax under the Coalition]

But under the Coalition, we will fight cost-of-living pressures at their source.”

Peter Dutton [and Greg Jericho]:

“Over three years, the Albanese Government has increased spending as a share of the economy more than any other government since the recession of the early 1990s.

It’s lifted spending by an extraordinary $425 billion

That’s about $40,000 per Australian household. [So the government is spending more on households than in the past… isn’t that a good thing??!]

Much of this spending hasn’t gone to essential services or generated economic activity.

Rather, it’s been inflationary, ineffectual, and wasteful. [for example…. Oh so it’s not that kind of speech]

Such rapid and unrestrained spending is not only adding to the debt our children will have to repay.

It’s also keeping the pressure on inflation during a cost-of-living crisis – as the Reserve Bank Governor has repeatedly pointed out.

Core inflation under this government has averaged more than double what it was under the Coalition.

Personal income taxes paid have also increased by 24 per cent under Labor.

The average taxpayer paid $3,500 more in tax this year alone – or $7,000 more for a dual income household. [they get paid more, they earn more they have more after-tax income! This is such a dumb figure. It is meaningless because individual taxes always go up in dollar terms every year because incomes go up every year (hopefully)]“

Peter Dutton [and Greg Jericho]

“To scale-up assistance and provide immediate relief, we will commit $50 million over four years for food charities – like Foodbank, SecondBite and OzHarvest – to expand their services, including school breakfast programs. [Charity is a failure of government – and increasing Jobseeker to above the poverty line would mean people wouldn’t need foodbanks (where they still have to pay for food)]

Of course, to get out of Labor’s economic mess – and to tackle Labor’s cost-of-living crisis – we need hard decisions and a proper plan.

A Coalition Government will do three things:

First, rein-in inflationary spending. [the level of public demand in the budget is actually lower than the average. The Budget is in no way inflationary]

Second, reduce the cost of energy.

And third, strengthen the economy to work for you.

Let me address each aspect in turn.”

Peter Dutton [And Greg Jericho]

“Instead, we will provide immediate cost-of-living relief for Australians.

A Dutton Coalition Government will halve the fuel excise for 12 months on the first sitting day of the next Parliament.

For a household with one car filling-up once a week, that’s a saving of $14 a week on average – or around $700 over 12 months. [that is if you fill up your car every week – which only about a third of people do. Most of use only fill it up twice a month or even less. You get rather less. Matt Grudnoff calculated it as $357 a year, or to use Peter Dutton;s framing – 98 cents a day. Also, if you don’t drive? Sorry nothing for you? Work from home? Sorry you get less. You bought a hybrid? Silly you, you get less. You have a big dumb ute? Yeah this is for you.. and don’t worry more is to come https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/fuel-excise-cut-bad-policy-and-not-worth-as-much-as-advertised/]

For a household with two cars filling-up once a week, that’s a saving of $28 a week on average – or around $1,500 over 12 months. [very weird maths. Most people with 2 cars do not use them equally as much. Also if we are now combining things, a reminder the tax cut is for individuals, so if 2 people work in a household they both get the tax cut, so that $1,072. See how easy it is to make number look bigger?]

Working with industry, we will ensure that heavy vehicle road users also benefit from this measure.

The ACCC will ensure that the fuel excise cut will be passed on in full to consumers.

This policy will cost $6 billion. [For $5.5bn they could have raised Jobseeker by $269 a fortnight to make it equal to the base rate of the age pension]“

Amidst Labor’s cost-of-living pressures, charities are experiencing increased demand – including from Australians who have never previously relied on their support. [see above]