Jeff Kennett and Steve Bracks say energy, water, population among biggest issues facing the nation
Political giants Steve Bracks and Jeff Kennett have had their say on the issues they believe are “holding the country back” and need to be addressed. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.
VIC News
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Australia’s energy and water policy vacuum is “holding the country back” and must be addressed, Steve Bracks and Jeff Kennett say.
The two former premiers outlined big issues facing the state and the nation, with Mr Bracks nominating population growth and Mr Kennett saying maintaining community confidence were critical to the state continuing to be successful.
The p olitical giants, who played an important role in shaping the federation as well as our state between 1992 and 2007, have reunited for the first time since they clashed in a bombshell state election 20 years ago for a podcast series, Face Off.
Both men said that although they felt the pressure of the job two decades ago, the rise of social media has changed the nature of politics.
Mr Kennett said there was a lack of long-term planning across modern government.
“Australia today is still a country without a vision, if you ask any of the leaders where they want Australia to be by 2050 they’ve got no idea, they’re dealing with today’s issues,” he said.
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He said economic storm clouds were a massive concern given the amount of debt Australians were battling.
“I think there is a whole lot of people now who are struggling. What I would call middle-income lower-middle-income who are having great trouble just keeping their heads above water,” he said.
Mr Kennett said “we still don’t have a national policy on water and national policy on agriculture”, and Victoria’s previously cheap electricity prices were gone meaning businesses reliant on energy security were looking elsewhere.
Mr Bracks said an absence of broader national energy policy was an enormous problem and a “political failure”.
“A settled energy policy would help enormously in the industry and it’s holding it’s country back,” he said.
The former Labor leader said that “managing significant population growth is the biggest issue” in Victoria and this would impact on people’s quality of life.
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He downplayed the state’s mounting debt as manageable, clashing with Mr Kennett who said it could be a critical issue for the current Andrews Government.
“I’m just saying the ingredients a building up very very strongly and that means the other side have got to get themselves ready and they’re not in that position yet,” Mr Kennett said.
“But there’s three and a half years to go.”
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