The Albanese Government is gearing up for a three-day economic summit aimed at positioning Australia for a high-tech future. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasised that some initiatives from the summit will be implemented immediately, while others may be presented to the public ahead of the next election.
At a recent mining expo, Albanese delved into advancements in innovation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, stating their potential to revolutionise the workforce for future generations. However, he acknowledged the rapid pace of technological change, noting that determining the correct approaches and their consequences can be challenging.
During the summit, there is a plan to streamline housing development by freezing the National Construction Code and leveraging AI to tackle environmental regulations that currently hinder 30,000 housing approvals. Additionally, the summit is set to initiate a nationwide roll-out of a road user charge for electric vehicles, replacing the traditional fuel excise.
While the Government aims for constructive reforms, Treasurer Jim Chalmers clarified that the summit will intentionally avoid contentious issues, focusing instead on areas of possible agreement. This means that discussions around GST, negative gearing, capital gains tax, and changes to industrial relations laws will not be on the agenda.
Chalmers explained that the objective is to create a simpler and more harmonious workplace system that benefits workers without compromising their conditions or pay. In response to claims about union influence over industrial relations, he refuted any suggestion that the answer lies in reducing worker rights or conditions.
The overarching ambition of the summit is to gather insights that will inform the Government’s budgetary policies through to 2028, thereby fortifying Australia’s economic future and securing the Labour party’s position. The three days are thus set to provide crucial foundations for upcoming budgets, shaping the country’s path forward in an ever-evolving technological landscape.