Australia's Voice
See how we've assessed them for all policy statements included in the Build a Ballot tool. Want to suggest a revision? Send us an email at tool@buildaballot.org.au
Statement
Evidence
Score
Introduce a tax on the excess profits of large corporations (e.g. on banks, gas companies)
Type: Parliamentary Data
Summary: Australia’s Voice supports introducing a superprofits tax and close loopholes that enable multinational tax avoidance. In response to our survey, that stated “Big corporations and multinationals are making record profits while Australians struggle in a cost of living crisis. It’s time they paid their fair share. That money should be reinvested into schools, hospitals, affordable housing, and real cost-of-living relief.”
Introduce short-term price caps (e.g. on rent and gas prices)
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of introducing short-term price caps, stating “We support a temporary price freeze on essential goods and services, overseen by an independent body or Ombudsman where businesses apply to raise prices, with permission only given for legitimate cost reasons such as increased transport costs or rising fuel, not for reasons such as profit.”
Support a significant reduction of individuals employed by the public service
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being unsupportive of reducing government spending by cutting public service jobs, stating “Public servants aren’t just office workers, they are the aged care workers, nurses, teachers, NDIS staff. Slashing public service jobs means slashing essential services that everyday Australians rely on.”
Prevent big companies from controlling the market and limiting consumer choice (e.g. supermarkets)
Type: Website
Summary: Australia’s Voice is supportive of reforming regulations that increase corporate competition.
Link: https://australiasvoice.com.au/supermarket-divestiture/
Phase out tax concessions for property investors (e.g. negative gearing or capital gains tax discount)
Type: Website
Summary: Australia’s Voice is supportive of reducing negative gearing to 1 property as opposed to a total phasing out. In response to our survey, they said “There are many young families who purchased a property early in life and have moved into a new home who use negative gearing to help supplement their income during a cost of living crisis.”
Incentivise state/territory government to increase renter rights and protections
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of establishing a National Renters Protection Authority and National Tenancy Standards, with incentives for states/territories to adopt them.
Increase investment in public and community housing
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing investment in public and community housing, stating “Australia's Voice senator Fatima Payman has spoken many times about the need to increase supply for housing, especially public housing, as opposed to short term band aid fixes offered by the major parties that often simply increase demand.”
Allow first home-buyers to access their super to help purchase their first home
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being unsupportive of allowing first-home buyers to access their super, stating “This is a short term fix that will only drive demand and increase house prices, while leaving Australians worse off in retirement.”
Incentivise state/territory governments to increase housing supply
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as supportive of increasing federal incentives for state and territory-led reforms that increase housing supply.
Help first-home buyers with shared equity programs that would allow participants to co-purchase a home with the government
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of expanding shared equity programs, stating “We support the initiative as a short term solution but reiterate the need for long term fixes such as increasing supply and limiting negative gearing and CGT discount.”
Introduce energy bill rebates
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of an energy bill rebate, stating “This is supported as all cost of living relief should be during this time. However, a long term fix of a gas reservation policy of 15% must be implement to bring energy prices down in the long term.”
Increase financial support for energy efficiency upgrades
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as supportive of increasing federal financial incentives for home and business electrification, solar, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades, stating “We absolutely support increasing federal financial incentives for home and business electrification, solar energy, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades. Helping households and businesses make the switch to clean energy is good for the environment and cost of living. Increasing incentives will help cut power bills, create local jobs, reduce emissions, and build a more sustainable Australia.”
Increase funding for community batteries that increase access to solar
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing federal financial incentives (e.g. the Community Batteries for Household Solar program) for community batteries.
Strengthen regulations to prevent price-gouging by energy companies
Type: Website
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing the power of regulators to prevent price-gouging.
Link: https://australiasvoice.com.au/supermarket-divestiture/
Make university free
Type: Social Media
Summary: Australia’s Voice is supportive of wiping all student debt and making university free. In response to our survey, they said “As Australia's youngest politician, Fatima Payman is pushing hard to provide free education from the cradle to the grave. Facebook post attached (although it should say scrap HECS debt).”
Cut a portion of existing student debt
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of cutting at least 15% of student debt, stating “Yes, but should have been delivered before the election and not used as a bargaining tool to pressure students to vote for ALP.”
Support more fee-free TAFE places
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of the Free TAFE bill or comparable legislation.
Increase funding for public schools
Type: Parliamentary Decision
Summary: Australia’s Voice supports increasing federal share of public school funding to 25% or more.
Increase funding for and access to childcare subsidies
Type: Parliamentary Decision
Summary: Australia’s Voice supports increasing funding for and access to childcare subsidies.
Stop fossil fuel project approvals and expansions
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of strengthening national environment laws to stop all new coal and gas approvals and fossil fuel expansions, stating “Australia's Voice supports this as a long term goal in the transition to net zero but more needs to be done to achieve this than just strengthening national environmental laws. Both major parties are to blame for Australia lagging behind in the transition to renewable energy. Industry therefore faces numerous hurdles to transition with the phase out of new coal and gas. Supply chain bottlenecks, regulatory delays, lengthy permitting processes, and inconsistent state and federal policies contribute to project timelines extending beyond initial estimates. Reports indicate that by 2030, Australia will require an additional 85,000 workers in the energy sector, with over half of these roles being in occupations already experiencing national shortages, such as electricians and engineers. Despite this, there has been insufficient investment in education and training programs to meet this demand. To connect the renewable projects to the grid, its estimated that nearly 10,000 km of new transmission lines are required by 2050 to connect renewable energy generation to demand centres, to ensure grid reliability and meeting emission reduction targets . However this has been delayed as the major parties refuse to address outdated planning processes, regulatory hurdles, and insufficient investment.”
Accelerate the rollout of renewable energy projects
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of a target of >95% renewable energy by 2030, with clear policies to achieve this, stating “As a new party we have yet the developed the exact policies to enact this. But we fully support the target if achievable. Australia's Voice supports this as a long term goal in the transition to net zero but more needs to be done to achieve this than just strengthening national environmental laws. Both major parties are to blame for Australia lagging behind in the transition to renewable energy. Industry therefore faces numerous hurdles to transition with the phase out of new coal and gas. Supply chain bottlenecks, regulatory delays, lengthy permitting processes, and inconsistent state and federal policies contribute to project timelines extending beyond initial estimates. Reports indicate that by 2030, Australia will require an additional 85,000 workers in the energy sector, with over half of these roles being in occupations already experiencing national shortages, such as electricians and engineers. Despite this, there has been insufficient investment in education and training programs to meet this demand. To connect the renewable projects to the grid, its estimated that nearly 10,000 km of new transmission lines are required by 2050 to connect renewable energy generation to demand centres, to ensure grid reliability and meeting emission reduction targets . However this has been delayed as the major parties refuse to address outdated planning processes, regulatory hurdles, and insufficient investment.”
Strengthen policies that ensure Australia’s biggest polluters genuinely cut their emissions
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of strengthening existing policies that prioritise genuine emissions reductions from Australia’s biggest polluters.
Increase investment in preventative health programs
Type: Parliamentary Decision
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as supportive of increasing investment in health prevention programs.
Make GP visits free or more affordable by increasing bulk billing incentives
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of a substantial increase in incentives ($15 billion+) to make GP visits more affordable nationwide.
Increase funding to train, attract, and retain more healthcare professionals, especially in regional areas
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of a meaningful increase in funding to train, attract, and retain more healthcare professionals, especially in regional areas, stating “We proudly support increasing funding to train, attract, and retain more healthcare professionals, especially in regional and remote areas. Every Australian deserves access to quality healthcare, no matter where they live. Right now, too many communities are being left behind with long waits, limited services, and burnt-out staff.”
Increase funding for dental and mental health
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of including dental and mental health in Medicare, stating “We support expanding Medicare to fully cover mental health services, because mental health is just as important as physical health — and no one should be priced out of getting the support they need. We also support expanding Medicare to include dental care in principle, because your teeth are part of your health, not a luxury. However, we recognise that the dental workforce is already under pressure, and any expansion must be properly funded and carefully managed to avoid overwhelming dentists, ensuring timely care for Australian, and avoid increasing costs.”
Expand subsidies to make more prescription medicines cheaper
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of expanding subsidies through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to make more prescription medicines cheaper, stating “As a former pharmacist student, Fatima Payman supports this wholeheartedly.”
Increase investment in large-scale renewable energy and storage
Type: Parliamentary Decision, Website
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing public and incentivise private investment in large-scale renewable energy, storage and grid infrastructure.
Link:
Require multinational gas companies to prioritise domestic supply, without supporting the approval of new gas projects
Type: Website
Summary: Australia’s Voice is supportive of a domestic gas reservation scheme - specifically a 15% one like in WA - that does not enable new gas projects.
Invest in nuclear power as a future energy source, while extending the life of coal power and increasing gas use in the interim
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being unsupportive of developing and investing in a nuclear industry, stating “We do not support the development of nuclear energy. Nuclear is expensive, slow to build, and creates long-term waste problems that future generations would be forced to deal with. Australia has some of the best renewable energy resources in the world and we should be investing in clean, safe, and proven technologies that can deliver cheaper energy faster without the risks that come with nuclear power.”
Improve access to government-held information about government policies and decisions
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of an immediate injection of funding for the Freedom of Information system and introducing statutory timeframes.
Protect the ABC and SBS’s independence and funding
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing or maintaining ABC and SBS funding in real terms and implementing reforms to enable planning certainty across funding cycles, stating “We support a free and independent ABC and funding SBS.”
Require all lobbyists that meet with politicians to be publicly disclosed
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of strengthening of the Lobbying Code of Conduct to include a broader range of actors including in-house lobbyists and provide effective sanctions for breach of code and requiring the publication of ministerial diaries, stating “We fully support strengthening the Lobbying Code of Conduct to cover a broader range of lobbyists, including in-house corporate lobbyists and introducing real penalties for those who break the rules. Transparency and accountability are the cornerstones of a healthy democracy. That's why we also support requiring the publication of ministerial diaries, so Australians can see who is meeting with decision-makers and why.”
Make public transport more frequent and reliable
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing incentives to state/territory governments to improve the frequency, reliability, and accessibility of shared transport, stating “We support incentivising state and territory governments to make public and shared transport more frequent, reliable, and accessible. Better transport options mean less congestion, lower emissions, and stronger, more connected communities.”
Improve bike paths and footpaths to encourage active transport
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of increasing incentives for state/territory governments to improve bike paths and footpaths to encourage active transport, stating “We support incentivising states and territories to improve bike paths and footpaths. Safer, better infrastructure encourages active transport, cuts emissions, and makes our communities healthier and more connected.”
Increase access and affordability of electric and low-emissions vehicles
Type: Statement
Summary: Australia’s Voice responded to our survey as being supportive of implementing policies that strengthen the effectiveness of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, stating “We strongly support improving national fuel efficiency standards to ensure that car manufacturers send their best, most fuel-efficient, low-emission, and cost-effective vehicles to Australia. Right now, Australians are missing out on cleaner and cheaper vehicles that are already widely available overseas. Stronger standards will lower costs, reduce harmful emissions, and help Australia catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to transport technology.”
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