7NEWS has uncovered significant shifts in the Coalition’s policy reviews concerning energy, the economy, and the public service. Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien has indicated that plans for government ownership of nuclear reactors will be abandoned, a contentious electric vehicle scheme will be scrapped, and artificial intelligence will be leveraged to enhance public service efficiency.
In an exclusive discussion with the 7NEWS podcast, The Issue, O’Brien, who represents Queensland’s Sunshine Coast seat of Fairfax, emphasized the Coalition’s renewed focus on the cost of living. This comes in the wake of a 3.2 percent rise in headline inflation, which has dashed hopes for any interest rate cuts before the holiday season.
Nuclear Energy Policy Revisions
Previously serving as the shadow energy minister under Peter Dutton, Ted O’Brien has been a staunch advocate for nuclear energy. However, he acknowledges that the current policy needs adjustments, particularly regarding public ownership of nuclear assets.
“My views on nuclear energy have not changed … but there are going to be changes,” O’Brien stated on The Issue. “One of the areas of feedback we have had is concern about our plan being public ownership of those assets. We’re listening to those concerns, but I won’t pre-empt the final conclusion, which will come out within due course.”
O’Brien reiterated the necessity of lifting the moratorium on nuclear energy to facilitate the development of nuclear plants, a move he deems consistent with the Coalition’s energy strategy.
Streamlining the Public Service
The Coalition’s past proposal to reduce the public service workforce by 41,000 and limit remote work was a contentious point in the last federal election. O’Brien reflects on the lessons learned from that campaign, emphasizing efficiency over mass cuts.
“There’s no doubt there is absolutely room for efficiency and that should always be a priority of any government,” O’Brien remarked. “With a future Coalition government, we should be looking at efficiency right throughout government, but that’s a very different thing from talking about any sort of mass cuts.”
O’Brien advocates for the adoption of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, to improve public service operations and private business practices.
“There will need to be a greater take up in a sensible, safe way,” he said. “I am pro-technology and we need to ensure that we own the opportunity. I think this government has been completely on the back foot with this.”
Opposition to Electric Vehicle Tax Exemptions
The Coalition plans to challenge Labor’s fringe benefits tax exemptions for electric vehicles, a policy criticized by some tax experts for disproportionately benefiting wealthier individuals. Under this scheme, approximately 100,000 drivers have secured novated leases.
“The more money you make, the more the taxpayer subsidises your leasing of electric vehicles,” O’Brien explained. “A lawyer gets a cheaper car to lease than a nurse, even though the lawyer makes far more money, over double the money. The cost of this program has blown out tenfold. It is one of the least economically efficient ways to reduce emissions. This government is hell-bent on continuing it, even though it is inequitable.”
7NEWS has extended an invitation to Treasurer Jim Chalmers to discuss these issues further on a future episode of The Issue.
As the Coalition navigates these policy shifts, the implications for Australia’s energy landscape, public service operations, and economic strategies remain significant. The coming months will reveal how these changes are received by both the public and political adversaries.
