Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says her party’s election loss is acknowledged with humility and respect. Photo: Facebook.
Energy and housing are two policy areas new Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says the Coalition will be paying close attention to in the days ahead to resonate with the voting public.
Acknowledging the Liberals and Nationals got thumped at the 3 May election, Ms Ley said it was time for a serious rethink of Coalition policy.
“We suffered a big defeat and we acknowledge that with humility and respect to the voters,” she said during a commercial radio interview on Friday (6 June).
“So, we must listen, we must change, we must develop a fresh approach, and we must take the time to get this right.
“I’m taking the vote very seriously, as are all of my team, of course we are. That listening is very important in what we do next.
“We will modernise. We will rebuild. We’ve got to have a party that respects modern Australia, reflects modern Australia, and represents modern Australia.
“And we’ve got to meet modern Australian communities … where they are …
“Our policies are up for review, that’s for sure, but our values are not and will always back aspiration and people who want to have a crack and get ahead.”
To that extent, the Opposition Leader said the Coalition’s next energy policy would be all about reducing emissions while delivering stability in the nation’s power supply.
The Nationals have pushed the Coalition to support energy policy that would remove the moratorium on nuclear power.
Ms Ley said that would be the first step in developing an energy policy that included nuclear energy.
The Coalition took to the federal election a policy to build seven nuclear power plants around Australia. That policy was roundly rejected at the polls.
The Nats have insisted nuclear energy remains part of the Coalition agreement and they want to ditch support for the international net zero by 2050 target.
Ms Ley says the Coalition’s energy policy will be different to the one it took to the election, and will include a commitment to providing affordable energy for homes.
“If you look at countries around the world that are bringing their emissions down, they are going nuclear and we will consider that, of course, and it may well look different from what we took to the last election,” she said.
On housing, the Opposition Leader insisted it was a priority for the Coalition.
The nation needed more skilled home builders and fewer planning law restrictions.
“If we can’t find a pathway or articulate a pathway into housing for young people, then they’re not going to support our political party,” she said.
“We had some policies at the last election. We’ll review those.
“I’m always very frustrated by what state governments are not doing when it comes to supporting young people in housing. But I’m not saying that it’s only in their court.
“There are things the federal government can do as well. So, we have to get the housing piece right.
“And I was the Environment Minister in the last government, and you show me an economy in the world that is not growing, that can support its environment.
“In other words, you’ve got to have a strong economy to support environmental outcomes. And they’re very important indeed and I understand that they matter to young people.”
Ms Ley said she also recognised that many women felt they couldn’t vote for the Coalition at the recent election because of some of its policy positions.
“I don’t know that we offered women policies that reflected where they were, where their thoughts, feelings and wishes and aspirations are,” she said.
She is determined to change that.
“I’m not landing on a policy or an outcome. It’s really important that we don’t do that,” she said.
“People might want us to rule things in or out, but we’re not going to do that. We’re going to take the time to do it right.
“But I do want to see policies that reflect the wishes and the aspirations of families, of people at every stage of their life, but more importantly, that overall back Australians who want to get ahead.”
