Federal Election 2016: Comparison of Liberal and Labor Party policies
WHAT policies do the two main parties have on each public issue? Political Reporter Peter Jean presents their respective stances.
Analysis
Don't miss out on the headlines from Analysis. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ASYLUM SEEKERS
Coalition: Maintain existing hard line against illegal boat
arrivals through offshore
detention centres.
Labor: Supports offshore
detention but wants more
done to ensure people found
to be refugees are resettled
in third countries.
BANKS
Coalition: Giving extra
resources to watchdog the
Australian Securities and
Investments Commission
and will bill the cost back
to the banks.
Labor:Planning a Royal Com-mission into banking sector.
THE BUDGET DEFICIT
Coalition: After abandoning many of the harsh budget
cuts announced in 2014, the
Government expects to achieve a small surplus by 2021.
Labor: Has proposed $71
billion worth of measures it
says will improve the state
of the budget, including
halting proposed tax breaks
for big companies.
CHILD CARE
Coalition: Wants to boost childcare support for working families through a program funded by cuts to other family payments.
Labor: Says the Government’s childcare plan would leave many families worse of but is yet to reveal the proposal it will take to the election.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Coalition: Wants to make
it easier for Australian
businesses to compete in
the world economy, and a greater focus on science and
innovation. Is using changes
to tax and company laws to
encourage start-ups and as
part of an innovation policy.
Labor: Wants more science and technology taught in schools, TAFEs and universities to
prepare students to work in
the future economy. Will
establish $500 million smart
investment fund and support infrastructure projects that boost the economy.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT
Coalition: Supports foreign
investment but has vetoed high-profile sales, including the plan by a Chinese-led consort-ium to buy S Kidman & Co. Launched crackdown on illegal house sales to foreign nationals.
Labor: Also supports foreign
investment and has criticised Coalition for sending “mixed messages” to international companies with funds that could help boost the
Australian economy.
GLOBAL WARMING
Coalition: Reduce carbon
emissions by 26 to 28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.
Labor: Reduce carbon
emissions to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and introduce emissions trading scheme.
HEALTH
Coalition:Restored $2.9
billion in state funding for
hospitals while a long-term funding deal is negotiated.
Is attempting to find savings and efficiencies in the Medicare system, which has raised the ire of GPs and pathology companies.
Labor: Has criticised measures it says will threaten the bulk
billing rate and promised to
increase spending on health.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Coalition:Will support major infrastructure projects, including upgrades to public transport. Has promised to reward states that privatise assets and spend the money on infrastructure programs, such as new rail lines and roads.
Labor: Will establish new $10 billion “concrete bank’’ to help raise funds for infrastructure projects.
SCHOOLS
Coalition: Used the Budget
to promise an extra $1.1 billion in funding for literacy and
numeracy programs and has promised $118 million in extra funding to support students with disabilities.
Labor: Has promised to invest $37 billion over a decade to fully implement the Gonski needs-based funding model.
STEEL
Coalition: Has announced a range of measures to support Whyalla steelmaker Arrium,
including mandating the use
of Australian steel in the Future Submarines. Has imposed
anti-dumping measures against cheap Asian steel imports.
Labor:Proposes a steel industry rescue plan, including procurement rules that favour the
use of Australian steel in
infrastructure projects.
SUBMARINES
Coalition: Will build 12 navy submarines in Adelaide in partnership with French design partner DCNS using Australian steel and maximising local industry involvement.
Labor: Wants a 70 per cent Australian content requirement written into the submarine contract and has demanded that the contract be signed as soon as possible.
TAX
Coalition:Will use a 10-year plan to gradually reduce tax rate for companies to 25 per cent, with small businesses
getting tax relief first. Used
the budget to promise modest tax relief for people earning more than $80,000 through
tax bracket adjustment. Will
reduce superannuation tax break for high-income earners and crack down on multi-
national tax avoidance.
Supports existing negative gearing and capital gains
tax rules.
Labor: Supports a cut in the company tax rate for small businesses only. Wants to
retain the temporary budget deficit levy on people earning more than $180,000. Supports crackdown on multinational tax evasion and closing super tax loopholes for the wealthy, but has proposals different from the Coalition’s. Would only permit negative gearing for new investment properties.
Investors already using
negative gearing would be
unaffected by the rule change.
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Coalition: Will hold a
plebiscite to allow the
Australian people to decide whether same-sex marriage should be legally recognised.
Labor: Would scrap plans
for a plebiscite and hold
a vote in Parliament on
marriage equality within 100 days of forming government. From 2019, Labor MPs will
no longer be allowed a
conscience vote on same-
sex marriage.
UNION MISCONDUCT
Coalition: Used the Senate’s
refusal to re-establish the
Australian Building and
Construction Commission (ABCC) to trigger the double dissolution election.
Labor: Opposes the
reintroduction of the ABCC
because of concerns about
the commission having
coercive powers. Has
promised harsher penalties against union officials who break the law or misuse members’ funds.
UNIVERSITIES
Coalition: Will put a plan to deregulate university fees on hold until 2018 to allow more consultation on the future of university funding.
Labor: Opposes fee
deregulation but is yet
to outline its university
funding plans.
Originally published as Federal Election 2016: Comparison of Liberal and Labor Party policies
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