The Liberal Party has released a 50-page policy document for this year’s federal election.
The booklet is titled: “Our Plan – Real Solutions for all Australians – The direction, values and policy priorities of the next Coalition government.”
- Download the Liberal Party policy document: “Our Plan” (PDF), or for Iphone, Ipad, Android, KOBO, etc, or Kindle – and displayed below.
An accompanying YouTube video has also been released:
- Watch “Our Plan” (1m)
The booklet repackages announcements made by the Coalition over the past year and does not appear to contain any new policies. It lists 12 general policy priorities, including “a stronger, more productive and diverse economy with lower taxes”. It promises a Coalition government “will get the Budget back under control” and “help families get ahead by freeing them from the burdens of the carbon tax”.
The Coalition says it will generate “one million new jobs over the next five years” and “two million jobs over the next decade”. It promises “more modern infrastructure” and says it will deliver “better services” including heath services and education. The direct action plan – “to reduce carbon emissions inside Australia, not overseas” – remains, as does the commitment to a 15,000-strong Green Army “charged with the clean-up and conservation of our environment”.
The plan promises “stronger border protection” and “stable government that restores accountability”. It says Tony Abbott’s first overseas trip as Prime Minister “will be to Indonesia to renew cooperation against people smugglers”.
The plan talks in general terms of a “5-Pillar economy” in manufacturing, agriculture, services, education and research, and mining. It talks of improving productivity, cutting red tape and assisting small business.
The promise to repeal the carbon tax stands, as does the commitment to repeal the mining tax and provide personal income tax cuts. Whilst the document provides graphs showing increases in federal government spending and budget deficits, it makes no mention of specific spending cuts. As previously announced, the document says a Coalition government will establish a Commission of Audit to “identify savings and efficiencies in all areas of government”.
The plan says a new two-way “Colombo Plan” will be established within two years. The Coalition will aim to have 40% of high school students studying a foreign language, preferably Asian, in year 12. No detail of these policies is given.
The plan also says the Coalition will fast track Free Trade Agreements “with China, Indonesia, Japan and India amongst others”.
The Infrastructure policy is similarly vague. It says the Coalition “will develop a rolling 15-year infrastructure plan of national projects” that will be revised every five years.
The Paid Parental Leave scheme that Abbott has previously proposed remains, although the document makes no mention of the business levy he has said will fund it.
Amongst general promises to “deliver better mental health services” and to put “local communities and experts” in charge of the performance of public hospitals, the plan promises $35 million for research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. It says the Coalition “aspires[s] to improve and restore dental services through Medicare as soon as we responsibly can”.
UPDATE:
- Listen to Tony Abbott launch his mini-campaign in Sydney (17m)
In an email to Liberal Party subscribers, Tony Abbott says:
I want you to be among the first to read “Our Plan – Real Solutions for all Australians” which explains the direction, values and policy priorities of the next Coalition Government.
This is the plan that Australia needs.
It will deliver a strong and prosperous economy and a safe and secure Australia – and restore hope, reward and opportunities for all Australians.
Our Plan will make Australia an even better place.
I invite you to read Our Plan, so you can see the positive choice that the Coalition will put before the Australian people during 2013.
