Albanese says the government’s focus on delivering commitments is essential to reinforce faith in democracy
- Written by: Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his second term government is “focused on delivery” of its commitments, declaring this is important not only for the economy but also for Australians’ faith in our democracy.
In a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, partially released ahead of delivery, Albanese warns that the present era of global uncertainty reaches beyond just economic uncertainty.
“It is the more corrosive proposition that politics and government and democratic institutions, including a free media, are incapable of meeting the demands of this moment.
"Some simply dismiss such sentiment. Others cynically seek to harvest it. Our responsibility is to disprove it.
"To recognise that some of this frustration is drawn from people’s real experience with government – be it failures of service delivery, or falling through the cracks of a particular system.
"And to counter this, we have to offer the practical and positive alternative.To prove that a good, focused, reforming Labor government can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Albanese’s speech comes ahead of his departure later this week for the G7 summit in Canada, where he is expected to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines.
Their talks are set to cover, in particular, the Albanese government’s bid for relief from the Trump tariffs and the president’s desire for Australia to significantly boost its spending on defence.
Australia is subject to both the general US 10% tariff and the separate tariff on steel and aluminium, which the president has just increased to 50%.
Australia will put on the table a proposal for arrangements on access to our critical minerals and rare earths, that will favour the US. The government has also been examining a way to give access to US beef, which currently faces an effective ban on biosecurity grounds.
Albanese has stressed that any change would not compromise Australian biosecurity.
The Trump administration has flagged it would like to see Australia boost defence spending to 3.5% of GDP. Albanese has said Australia makes its own defence decisions and that spending should be based on capability needs rather than a set percentage.
Albanese’s stress, in his speech, on “delivery” of commitments is partly to manage expectations in the wake of the government’s massive majority.
The unexpected election result has led to some pressures on the government to use its position to undertake a more radical agenda than the one it put at the election.
Albanese says: “Our government’s vision and ambition for Australia’s future was never dependent on the size of our majority.
"But you can only build for that future vision if you build confidence that you can deliver on urgent necessities.
"How you do that is important too - ensuring that the actions of today, anticipate and create conditions for further reform tomorrow.”
He says the government’s second-term agenda has been shaped by Australians’ lives, priorities and values.
“It is the mission and the measure of a Labor government to give those enduring ideals of fairness, aspiration and opportunity renewed and deeper meaning, for more Australians.
"To deliver reforms that hold no-one back - and drive progress that leaves no-one behind.
"This is no small task. It demands we aim high and requires us to build big.”
He points to the government’s promised big investment in Medicare as well as its commitments on housing and the energy transition.
“Our vision is for a society that is a microcosm for the world – where all are respected and valued and our diversity is recognised as a strength.
"Where our international relationships in the fastest growing region of the world in human history benefit us, but also provide a platform for us to play a stabilising global role in uncertain times.”
