Allegra Spender

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Statement

Evidence

Score

Statement

Introduce a tax on the excess profits of large corporations (e.g. on banks, gas companies)

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Close loopholes that enable multinational tax avoidance
2
Introduce a superprofits tax and close loopholes that enable multinational tax avoidance
Evidence

Type: Parliamentary Speech

Summary: Allegra Spender has spoken in a parliamentary speech about the issue of multinationals and tax avoidance: “I want to make sure that my words and my amendments can't be characterised as trying to stand up for multinational tax avoidance, because, frankly, quite the opposite is true. I've been a strong proponent of addressing multinational tax avoidance, but if you're going to change tax policy we should make sure there are exposure drafts that businesses can have legitimate engagement with. Then we can pass these through the House and through the Senate.”

Source: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/27160/&sid=0033

Score
1.5
Statement

Introduce short-term price caps (e.g. on rent and gas prices)

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support introducing short-term price caps
Evidence

Type: Social Media, Website

Summary: Allegra Spender doesn’t support rent caps as per above, but believes in permanent energy bill relief. Allegra Spender posted on X: ““While rent control appears to help current tenants in the short run, in the long run it decreases affordability, fuels gentrification, and creates negative spillovers on the surrounding neighborhood.” Research shows rent controls will not solve housing”

Source: https://x.com/spenderallegra/status/1665207181791178755 https://www.allegraspender.com.au/energy_bill_relief

Score
1
Statement

Support a significant reduction of individuals employed by the public service

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a significant reduction of individuals employed by the public service
Evidence

Type: Statement

Summary: Allegra Spender, when discussing the Coalition’s plans to reduce the number of public service employees, was asked whether she thought voluntary redundancies were the way forward. Spender replied: “Look, firstly I think we just don’t know what the policy is. We have heard three different versions of this policy in the last week or two, and so I genuinely don’t know what it is. If you are trying to reduce headcount, voluntary redundancy is one way to do it. But the truth is, I think what they need to commit to, is what are the service levels they’re going to provide to the Australian people, and what is their plan in relation to the public sector workforce. Because again, it would be great for the leader and the opposition spokesperson to be on the same page on this, and until we know what that is, I’m afraid I don’t think I can really comment.”

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-WGDSF_3_Y (35m 40s in)

Score
1
Statement

Prevent big companies from controlling the market and limiting consumer choice (e.g. supermarkets)

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support reforming regulations that increase corporate competition
Evidence

Type: Media Quote

Summary: In Allegra Spender’s National Press Club address, she stated: "There are moves to improve this, such as through competition reform or migration, but nowhere near the scale we need."

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/4821/economic_reform

Score
2
Statement

Phase out tax concessions for property investors (e.g. negative gearing or capital gains tax discount)

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support limiting or reducing negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts
2
Support phasing out negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts
Evidence

Summary: Allegra's Tax Green paper is clear that she advocates for a reform process, but not any specific individual tax changes.

Score
1
Statement

Incentivise state/territory government to increase renter rights and protections

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support incentivising states/territories to strengthen renters rights and protections using existing legislation
2
Support the establishment of a National Renters Protection Authority and National Tenancy Standards, with incentives for states/territories to adopt them
Evidence

Type: Parliamentary Speech, Website

Summary: Allegra Spender supports improving renters rights, stating: “We need to push the states to improve renters rights particularly in New South Wales where I'm from, where we still have no grounds evictions which are undermining renters rights across my state.”

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_cWv3zy66Yhttps://www.allegraspender.com.au/housing

Score
1.5
Statement

Increase investment in public and community housing

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a meaningful increase in investment
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender supports doubling federal investment in social housing.

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/housing

Score
2
Statement

Allow first home-buyers to access their super to help purchase their first home

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support allowing first-home buyers to access their super
Evidence

Type: Media Quote

Summary: Allegra Spender supports allowing first home-buyers to access their super when purchasing their first home, with a quote from Allegra Spender’s office stating: “Allegra believes super-for-housing will work for some, but it must be part of a broader package including that boosts supply of all types, including affordable and social housing”

Score
2
Statement

Incentivise state/territory governments to increase housing supply

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a meaningful increase in incentives
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender supports sharpening incentives to build more homes, stating: “We need to redesign these payments, giving states and territories an incentive to remove impediments, shorten planning approval processes, and deliver the critical infrastructure that enables housing.”

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/housing

Score
2
Statement

Help first-home buyers with shared equity programs that would allow participants to co-purchase a home with the government

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support expanding shared equity programs
Evidence
Score
2
Statement

Introduce energy bill rebates

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support an energy bill rebate
Evidence

Although Allegra Spender has previously supported the budget appropriations in 2024/2025, in 2025/2026 she would prefer this funding to go to home electrification rather than one-off handouts.

Score
1
Statement

Increase financial support for energy efficiency upgrades

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a meaningful increase in incentives for home and business electrification, solar, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender supports permanent energy bill relief through federal financial incentives for home electrification, solar, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades. Allegra Spender has put forward a Permanent Energy Bill Relief Plan to roll-out over the next 5 years.

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/energy_bill_relief

Score
2
Statement

Increase funding for community batteries that increase access to solar

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support increasing federal financial incentives (e.g. the Community Batteries for Household Solar program) for community batteries
Evidence

Type: Media Quote, Social Media

Summary: A community battery was built in 2024 through the Community Batteries for Household Solar program. Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender said the Bondi battery is a huge win for Wentworth, stating: “The battery will help deliver cleaner and cheaper electricity for our community, reducing both power bills and climate pollution.” Allegra Spender supports permanent energy relief through rooftop solar and battery storage.

Source: https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/bowen/media-releases/joint-media-release-investing-cleaner-cheaper-energy-bondi

https://www.instagram.com/allegra.spender/p/C-eIlFuzo5Y/?img_index=1

Score
2
Statement

Strengthen regulations to prevent price-gouging by energy companies

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Meaningfully increase power of regulators (e.g. the ACCC and Australian Energy Regulator) to prevent price-gouging
Evidence

Type: Statement

Summary: Allegra would consider industry-agnostic powers, but these should be operated by the regulator and independent of politics.

Source: Allegra Spender’s Office

Score
2
Statement

Make university free

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support making university free
Evidence

We could not find evidence to suggest Allegra Spender supports this policy

Score
1
Statement

Cut a portion of existing student debt

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Committed to cutting at least 15% of student debt
Evidence

Statement from Allegra Spender’s office: Changing the HECS indexation, secured by the Crossbench, did cut student debt. However, Allegra is concerned by the fairness of a point-in-time, one-off cut.

Score
1
Statement

Support more fee-free TAFE places

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support the Free TAFE bill or comparable legislation
Evidence

Type: Parliament Speech

Summary: Allegra Spender supports more free TAFE, but did not support this bill specifically.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlMX9FSmE4c

Score
2
Statement

Increase funding for public schools

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support increasing federal share of public school funding to between 22.5% and 25%
2
Support increasing federal share of public school funding to 25% or more
Evidence

Type:  Parliament Speech

Summary: This bill amends the Australian Education Act, to allow the commonwealth to increase it’s funding share beyond the 20% in the SRS.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcIs9gfOM1U

Score
1.5
Statement

Increase funding for and access to childcare subsidies

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support meaningful increase in funding
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender supported the budget inclusion for early childcare education “Budget Win: $1 billion Building Early Education Fund to build early childhood education and care centres where they’re needed most”

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/26_march_newsletter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A8AEdmf3Yw

Score
2
Statement

Stop fossil fuel project approvals and expansions

Assessment Criteria
1
Not opposed to new coal or gas projects or project expansions
2
Strengthen national environment laws to stop all new coal and gas approvals and fossil fuel project expansions
Evidence

N/A

Score
Statement

Accelerate the rollout of renewable energy projects

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support a target of 80%+ renewable energy by 2030
1.5
Committed to a target of 80–94% renewable energy by 2030, with clear policies to achieve this
2
Committed to a target of >95% renewable energy by 2030, with clear policies to achieve this
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender has targets that help reduce climate pollution before it’s too late and replace the 90% of coal-fired power due to retire in the next decade.

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/climate_1

Score
1.5
Statement

Strengthen policies that ensure Australia’s biggest polluters genuinely cut their emissions

Assessment Criteria
1
Support reducing or removing existing policies
1.5
Support maintaining existing policies (e.g. the Safeguard Mechanism)
2
Support strengthening existing policies (e.g. the Safeguard Mechanism)
Evidence

Type: Website, Parliamentary Speech

Summary: In response to a series of reforms to the SGM proposed by the government: Allegra believes the proposed reforms are reasonably well-balanced overall. They provide the policy certainty that businesses need to invest in the future and it is therefore important they pass the parliament. The proposed legislative changes will move the SGM closer to the kind of ‘cap and trade’ scheme that has worked effectively in other jurisdictions and the reforms reflect an accelerated path for emissions reduction. There are also tougher penalties for non-compliance and a commitment to a future consultation on a carbon border adjustment mechanism.

However, the reforms are not perfect and Allegra has urged the government to adopt sensible amendments put forward by the crossbench. As currently proposed, the scheme will allow unlimited access to carbon offsets for our Australia’s biggest polluters. The government has also capped the cost of these offsets at $75 per tonne, which will allow firms to keep polluting on the cheap. Allegra is concerned that easy access to cheap offsets will limit incentives for real (gross) emissions reduction, and may expose the taxpayer to a financial liability in future if the market price of offsets exceeds the government’s cap.

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/safeguard_mechanism_event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiGpmr_EECQ

Score
2
Statement

Increase investment in preventative health programs

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a meaningful increase in investment
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Improving affordability of primary care - with a greater focus on preventative health measures.

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/where_does_allegra_stand_on

Score
2
Statement

Make GP visits free or more affordable by increasing bulk billing incentives

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support a meaningful increase in incentives (between $5-15 billion)
2
Support a substantial increase in incentives ($15 billion+)
Evidence

Type: Parliamentary Speech, Website

Summary: Since being elected, Allegra Spender have supported significant investment in women’s healthcare and efforts to raise GP bulk-billing. Allegra has spoken and written regularly to the Health Minister regarding local healthcare issues in Wentworth, including detailed analysis she conducted on bulk billing rates.

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/where_does_allegra_stand_on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDlvGEE4UBs

Score
1.5
Statement

Increase funding to train, attract, and retain more healthcare professionals, especially in regional areas

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a meaningful increase in funding
Evidence

Type: Parliamentary Speech

Summary: Allegra Spender speaking on bulk billing crisis “I have shared my concerns directly with the minister and urge him and the government to act on these concerns urgently and ensure that Medicare remains the effective respected and accessible system it was intended to be and that we are training and developing and retaining the GPS we need to meet community needs”

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDlvGEE4UBs

Score
2
Statement

Increase funding for dental and mental health

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support increasing funding
1.5
Meaningful increase in funding for either dental or mental health
2
Include dental and mental health in Medicare
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Supports the expansion to include mental health, but not dental

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/mental_health_1

Score
1.5
Statement

Expand subsidies to make more prescription medicines cheaper

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support expanding subsidies through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender supports “hugely welcome investments in women’s health, cheaper medicines, pay rises for early childhood educators, and more funding for public schools. Including: Reduction in the cost of PBS medicines to a maximum of $25”

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/26_march_newsletter

Score
2
Statement

Increase investment in large-scale renewable energy and storage

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a meaningful increase in investment and incentives in large-scale renewable energy, storage and grid infrastructure
Evidence
Score
2
Statement

Require multinational gas companies to prioritise domestic supply, without supporting the approval of new gas projects

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support a domestic gas reservation scheme that does not enable new gas projects
Evidence

Statement from Allegra’s office: Allegra is not opposed to the reservation in principle. But the coalitions policy does not ban new gas projects. The options in this answer do not cover our policy.

Score
Statement

Invest in nuclear power as a future energy source, while extending the life of coal power and increasing gas use in the interim

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support developing and investing in a nuclear industry
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender on her website “ I’m not ideologically opposed to nuclear and it will certainly have a role to play in other countries. But it’s not right for Australia – and the evidence is clear that we can achieve a much faster and cheaper transition with renewables, backed by storage.”

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/nuclear

Score
1
Statement

Improve access to government-held information about government policies and decisions

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support increased funding or introduction of statutory timeframes for review
2
Support the implementation of an immediate injection of funding for the Freedom of Information system and introduce statutory timeframes for external FOI reviews to remove backlog and delay.
Evidence

Type: Statement

Summary: Allegra Spender would support an immediate injection of funding for the Freedom of Information system and introduce statutory timeframes for external FOI reviews to remove backlog and delay.

Source: Allegra Spender's Office

Score
2
Statement

Protect the ABC and SBS’s independence and funding

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support increasing or maintaining funding in real terms
2
Support increasing or maintaining ABC and SBS funding in real terms and implementing reforms to enable planning certainty across funding cycles.
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: Allegra Spender on her website “I know how important the ABC and SBS are to our community, and I will advocate strongly to ensure they continue to provide impartial news and analysis, contribute to our sense of national identity, entertain, inform and reflect Australia’s cultural identity, promote the arts and project Australia to the world.”

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/where_does_allegra_stand_on

Score
1.5
Statement

Require all lobbyists that meet with politicians to be publicly disclosed

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
1.5
Support some but not all measures
2
Strengthen the Lobbying Code of Conduct to include a broader range of actors including in-house lobbyists, provide effective sanctions for breach of code and require the publication of ministerial diaries.
Evidence

Type: Voting Record, Parliamentary Speech

Summary: There is more to national resilience than spending. We can achieve and address supply chain security in ways other than insourcing. I move here an amendment to ensure that funding under the FMIA framework does not proceed unless all other alternatives have been exhausted. We deserve more transparency over fund allocation. This should include processes which don't include NDAs, closed ministerial diaries and redaction of FOIs, processes which involve open calls for tenders, not lobbying firms and negotiations facilitated by former Labor Party staffers, which don't waste the time, money and effort of other companies and which don't cause a loss of trust in government. The amendments I move here address those concerns, and I commend them to the House. Voted in favour of the Future Made in Australia Bill 2024

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/bills_future_made_in_australia_bill_2024_consideration_in_detail_0ftq6ov1xyiadlfxjd1s9a

Score
2
Statement

Make public transport more frequent and reliable

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support increasing incentives for state/territory governments to improve the frequency, reliability, and accessibility of shared transport (public transport, carsharing, bike sharing)
Evidence

Type: Statement

Summary: Allegra supports incentivising public transport where it is needed but is conscious the Federal Government has a poor track-record in investing in evidence-based transport infrastructure projects. See Allegra’s Private Members Bill for more information.

Source: Allegra Spender’s team

Score
2
Statement

Improve bike paths and footpaths to encourage active transport

Assessment Criteria
1
Do not support
2
Support increasing incentives for state/territory governments to improve bike paths and footpaths to encourage active transport
Evidence

Type: Statement

Summary: Allegra supports incentivising suitable local amenities and transport options where it is needed but is conscious the Federal Government has a poor track-record in investing in evidence-based transport infrastructure projects. See Allega’s Private Members Bill.

Source: Allegra Spender’s Office

Score
2
Statement

Increase access and affordability of electric and low-emissions vehicles

Assessment Criteria
1
Support removing the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard
1.5
Support maintaining the current New Vehicle Efficiency Standard
2
Support implementing policies that strengthen the effectiveness of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard
Evidence

Type: Website

Summary: “I am delighted to see the government finally taking action that's good for cost of living and for our climate. It's long overdue and something that I have been campaigning for since before my election. However, there is still much more that needs to be done. Alongside the introduction of the standards, there was also a $60 million investment in EV charging. I know this is a real pain point for EV drivers in Wentworth, so I will be pushing hard for more funding.”

Source: https://www.allegraspender.com.au/new_vehicle_efficiency_standards

Score
2

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