Remarks by Brian Loughnane Federal Director Liberal Party of ...
Remarks by Brian Loughnane Federal Director Liberal Party of Australia 58th Federal Council Melbourne, Friday 26th June 2015
Mr President and Delegates: It is a privilege to again have the opportunity to speak to the leaders of our Party from across Australia. In the twelve months since we last met, the major focus of the work of the Federal Secretariat has been on supporting the Abbott Government and, in particular, our incumbent Members of Parliament. I am pleased to report that our marginal seat Members of Parliament are strong advocates for their local communities and, without exception, are achieving important results for their electorates. Unlike Labor, they stand for their communities, not for special interests or factions or unions and, as a result, are able to give priority where it properly belongs - to the people they represent. I can also report planning has begun on the next Federal election campaign and, in conjunction with our State Directors, will be our major priority in the coming twelve months. Reversing the legacy of Labor's five years in office was never going to be simple or immediate. To give just one example, in the five years under Labor, our nation's Budget went from a surplus of $20 billon to a record deficit of $54 billon and was on track to rise to an incredible $533 bn. Australia's debt was growing at a faster rate than that of any advanced economy. It would require leadership, a clear plan and a willingness to take difficult decisions if we were to reverse this rapid deterioration in our Budget position. Under Tony Abbott, the Coalition took a clear, straightforward Plan to the last election. At the centre of this Plan is our commitment to build a strong, prosperous economy and a safe secure Australia. It has been this Plan and this commitment which has driven the work of the Government since coming to office and it is because of this Plan we are now beginning to see significant progress in repairing the damage left by Labor. To give just two examples, the Budget bottom line is improving each and every year and, most encouragingly, over 280,000 jobs have been created and we are on track to create one million jobs over five years. Improving the Budget position is key as it frees up important resources to support productive initiatives such as those recently announced for small business and to also assist families through measures such as our child care policy. Neither of these would have been possible if the Budget did not have a pathway to reduce debt and deficit.
1
Mr President, Delegates: The recent Budget was an important next step in our strong Economic Plan to back hardworking Australians. Implementing this Plan is the priority of the Coalition Government. This is because our Plan will re-energize our economy, and help deliver more jobs, greater growth and better opportunity so all Australians can get ahead and plan for their future with confidence. Our Plan backs hard-working Australians who do the right thing by their families, their small businesses and their communities. It builds on the progress the Coalition has made already to get Australia back on the right path. By backing hard-working Australians, the Abbott Government is motivated by the same values which have been at the heart of our Party for over seventy years. The values of the Forgotten People, the values which Turned On The Lights in the late 1970’s and early ‘80’s, the values “For All Of Us” in the twelve great years for our country from 1996. The values of the Liberal Party are the values of the broad Australian community. We do not stand for sectional interests or special interests. We stand for the national interest – the interests of all Australians. Whatever your background, wherever you come from, whatever your age or occupation or state of life, if you’re one of the millions of hard-working Australians doing the right thing, building a better future for you and your family, the Liberal Party is for you. Australia has a bright future, a great future. But the recent five, chaotic years of Labor reminds us that that future is not inevitable. It needs strong leadership, a clear, realistic plan and the ability to make the right decisions for the right reasons if our economy is to grow and our nation is to be secure. In less than two years, Tony Abbott and the Coalition team has begun to get Australia back on the right track. Real progress is being made, but it is just a beginning with much, much more to be done. The Government has a clear direction and strong priorities. Whether its Budget management, creating jobs for the next generation, securing our borders, supporting families and our seniors, or encouraging small business to have a go, real progress is being made. Over the next twelve months, the Government will build on these achievements and Australia will strengthen as a result. One of the reasons for the policy success of the Government was the detailed hard work done by Tony Abbott and the team in Opposition. The Coalition consulted widely, tested policy and settled on a clear Plan. It was the Plan we took to the election, the Plan endorsed by the Australian people and the Plan which drives the work of the Government. I mention this because the contrast with Labor could not be greater.
2
Following a defeat, sensible parties renew. We did. But under Bill Shorten Labor has not changed. They have not reformed their policies, people or Party. At all costs, they avoid confronting their core problem: who do they represent and what do they stand for? Is Labor a union-based party, a social-democratic party, a light Green party, an entitlements party, all of the above or something else? Are its roots with the unions, the public sector, the inner suburbs, the chattering classes or is it attempting to straddle all of these? Are they talking to the Greens or to the people? Bill Shorten refuses to confront this fundamental issue and, as a result, Labor lacks leadership and direction. It is just blowing in the wind, meandering all over the place, reacting to events. Consequently, in my view, Labor is drifting to the populist left. It is simpler to identify what Labor is against than what it is for. It has lost touch with its own roots and has long lost touch with hard working Australians. As a result, it cannot offer a programme for the future of our country. In this policy vacuum the failed policy and tactics of the Rudd and Gillard era remain: -
A carbon tax on electricity will be back under Labor; A superannuation tax will be introduced – along with a hit on negative gearing; The boats will start returning; and The waste, debt and deficit will be back.
Just as Australia is getting back on the path to prosperity, Labor wants to take Australia back to the chaos of the Rudd and Gillard era. This is the clear choice emerging for Australians at the coming election. While every election is important, the next will be particularly important for our country. It will determine whether as a nation we go forward or backward. Whether families and small businesses can get on with their lives and plan for the future or whether Labor’s handbrake will once again be applied. Now, it would be easy for us to think a weak and directionless Labor Party is unelectable. This is very dangerous. Labor and their allies are a formidable and wellresourced political machine. It is already clear what we can expect from them as we get closer to the next election: -
There will be a massive union campaign, closely aligned with Labor’s; They will assert things which have no relationship with fact or reality; Left-wing groups will campaign on all sorts of esoteric topics; They will use the offices of the three State Labor Governments to run all sorts of red hearings; and Does anyone really believe Bill Shorten and Labor won’t do another deal with the Greens if that’s what it takes to sneak into Government?
3
I say to all Australians – do not believe what you hear from Labor and unions. Take the time to check the facts. It’s clear already that Labor and the unions are going to run their usual scare campaign on industrial relations. Well, remember this: real wages for workers increased under the Howard Government and declined or were static under Labor. Employment is growing under the Abbot Government. Check the facts, don’t be deceived. Labor’s lack of policy means their scare campaign will be even more intense. But we know this is coming and we will rebut it. The best assets we have to deal with this are our members and supporters across Australia. Clearly, the campaign at the national level will be important at the next election. But I want to be very clear: all successful recent campaigns have also won the ground game. Local campaigns will be critical to our success. Our strong Members of Parliament and our candidates will need the committed support of all sections of the Party. I ask every Liberal in Australia to become involved in the next campaign. While the election may be fifteen months away the campaign on the ground has begun. Labor and their union mates are out there. We therefore need you and our team needs you. Ladies and Gentlemen: Since his election as Federal President last year, Richard Alston has provided strong and stable leadership to the Party’s organisational wing. I thank Richard and the Federal Executive for their support for the Federal Secretariat as we oversee our preparations for next year’s election. The Federal Secretariat works closely with the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary team and their staff and I thank them for their support and co-operation. The Party’s State Secretariats continue to be well managed and I acknowledge the important contribution of our State Directors and their staff. I particularly thank those Directors who have recently moved on or are about to do so: Damien Mantach, Geoff Greene, Ben Morton and Brad Henderson. Each has made a significant contribution to our success. I particularly wish to thank Tony Nutt for his outstanding contribution as NSW State Director at a very challenging time for the Party. Our success in the March State election owed a great deal to Tony’s efforts. The Government is strong because the Coalition is strong and I thank Scott Mitchell for his co-operation and support. The staff at the Federal Secretariat work long hours in often challenging conditions and make a major contribution to the fortunes of the Party. I particularly wish to acknowledge my Deputy, Julian Sheezel, for his professionalism and commitment. Colin Gracie, who was the Party’s Corporate Affairs Manager for 18 years retired during the year. I place on record my appreciation for his support over the last four election campaigns. 4
Ladies and Gentlemen: Labor is not ready for Government. It is a threat to the prosperity of Australian families, small businesses and retirees. Bill Shorten is not up to it. He is a weak leader in charge of a divided and directionless Party. The Coalition is rebuilding Australia. We are beginning to see the benefits of our strong Economic Plan and hard-working Australians know they can get out there, have a go and plan for their future with confidence. We are building a strong, prosperous economy and a safe secure Australia and I look forward to working with Liberals in all parts of Australia over the next twelve months to ensure our country’s best days are ahead.
5
Mr President and Delegates: It is a privilege to again have the opportunity to speak to the leaders of our Party from across Australia. In the twelve months since we last met, the major focus of the work of the Federal Secretariat has been on supporting the Abbott Government and, in particular, our incumbent Members of Parliament. I am pleased to report that our marginal seat Members of Parliament are strong advocates for their local communities and, without exception, are achieving important results for their electorates. Unlike Labor, they stand for their communities, not for special interests or factions or unions and, as a result, are able to give priority where it properly belongs - to the people they represent. I can also report planning has begun on the next Federal election campaign and, in conjunction with our State Directors, will be our major priority in the coming twelve months. Reversing the legacy of Labor's five years in office was never going to be simple or immediate. To give just one example, in the five years under Labor, our nation's Budget went from a surplus of $20 billon to a record deficit of $54 billon and was on track to rise to an incredible $533 bn. Australia's debt was growing at a faster rate than that of any advanced economy. It would require leadership, a clear plan and a willingness to take difficult decisions if we were to reverse this rapid deterioration in our Budget position. Under Tony Abbott, the Coalition took a clear, straightforward Plan to the last election. At the centre of this Plan is our commitment to build a strong, prosperous economy and a safe secure Australia. It has been this Plan and this commitment which has driven the work of the Government since coming to office and it is because of this Plan we are now beginning to see significant progress in repairing the damage left by Labor. To give just two examples, the Budget bottom line is improving each and every year and, most encouragingly, over 280,000 jobs have been created and we are on track to create one million jobs over five years. Improving the Budget position is key as it frees up important resources to support productive initiatives such as those recently announced for small business and to also assist families through measures such as our child care policy. Neither of these would have been possible if the Budget did not have a pathway to reduce debt and deficit.
1
Mr President, Delegates: The recent Budget was an important next step in our strong Economic Plan to back hardworking Australians. Implementing this Plan is the priority of the Coalition Government. This is because our Plan will re-energize our economy, and help deliver more jobs, greater growth and better opportunity so all Australians can get ahead and plan for their future with confidence. Our Plan backs hard-working Australians who do the right thing by their families, their small businesses and their communities. It builds on the progress the Coalition has made already to get Australia back on the right path. By backing hard-working Australians, the Abbott Government is motivated by the same values which have been at the heart of our Party for over seventy years. The values of the Forgotten People, the values which Turned On The Lights in the late 1970’s and early ‘80’s, the values “For All Of Us” in the twelve great years for our country from 1996. The values of the Liberal Party are the values of the broad Australian community. We do not stand for sectional interests or special interests. We stand for the national interest – the interests of all Australians. Whatever your background, wherever you come from, whatever your age or occupation or state of life, if you’re one of the millions of hard-working Australians doing the right thing, building a better future for you and your family, the Liberal Party is for you. Australia has a bright future, a great future. But the recent five, chaotic years of Labor reminds us that that future is not inevitable. It needs strong leadership, a clear, realistic plan and the ability to make the right decisions for the right reasons if our economy is to grow and our nation is to be secure. In less than two years, Tony Abbott and the Coalition team has begun to get Australia back on the right track. Real progress is being made, but it is just a beginning with much, much more to be done. The Government has a clear direction and strong priorities. Whether its Budget management, creating jobs for the next generation, securing our borders, supporting families and our seniors, or encouraging small business to have a go, real progress is being made. Over the next twelve months, the Government will build on these achievements and Australia will strengthen as a result. One of the reasons for the policy success of the Government was the detailed hard work done by Tony Abbott and the team in Opposition. The Coalition consulted widely, tested policy and settled on a clear Plan. It was the Plan we took to the election, the Plan endorsed by the Australian people and the Plan which drives the work of the Government. I mention this because the contrast with Labor could not be greater.
2
Following a defeat, sensible parties renew. We did. But under Bill Shorten Labor has not changed. They have not reformed their policies, people or Party. At all costs, they avoid confronting their core problem: who do they represent and what do they stand for? Is Labor a union-based party, a social-democratic party, a light Green party, an entitlements party, all of the above or something else? Are its roots with the unions, the public sector, the inner suburbs, the chattering classes or is it attempting to straddle all of these? Are they talking to the Greens or to the people? Bill Shorten refuses to confront this fundamental issue and, as a result, Labor lacks leadership and direction. It is just blowing in the wind, meandering all over the place, reacting to events. Consequently, in my view, Labor is drifting to the populist left. It is simpler to identify what Labor is against than what it is for. It has lost touch with its own roots and has long lost touch with hard working Australians. As a result, it cannot offer a programme for the future of our country. In this policy vacuum the failed policy and tactics of the Rudd and Gillard era remain: -
A carbon tax on electricity will be back under Labor; A superannuation tax will be introduced – along with a hit on negative gearing; The boats will start returning; and The waste, debt and deficit will be back.
Just as Australia is getting back on the path to prosperity, Labor wants to take Australia back to the chaos of the Rudd and Gillard era. This is the clear choice emerging for Australians at the coming election. While every election is important, the next will be particularly important for our country. It will determine whether as a nation we go forward or backward. Whether families and small businesses can get on with their lives and plan for the future or whether Labor’s handbrake will once again be applied. Now, it would be easy for us to think a weak and directionless Labor Party is unelectable. This is very dangerous. Labor and their allies are a formidable and wellresourced political machine. It is already clear what we can expect from them as we get closer to the next election: -
There will be a massive union campaign, closely aligned with Labor’s; They will assert things which have no relationship with fact or reality; Left-wing groups will campaign on all sorts of esoteric topics; They will use the offices of the three State Labor Governments to run all sorts of red hearings; and Does anyone really believe Bill Shorten and Labor won’t do another deal with the Greens if that’s what it takes to sneak into Government?
3
I say to all Australians – do not believe what you hear from Labor and unions. Take the time to check the facts. It’s clear already that Labor and the unions are going to run their usual scare campaign on industrial relations. Well, remember this: real wages for workers increased under the Howard Government and declined or were static under Labor. Employment is growing under the Abbot Government. Check the facts, don’t be deceived. Labor’s lack of policy means their scare campaign will be even more intense. But we know this is coming and we will rebut it. The best assets we have to deal with this are our members and supporters across Australia. Clearly, the campaign at the national level will be important at the next election. But I want to be very clear: all successful recent campaigns have also won the ground game. Local campaigns will be critical to our success. Our strong Members of Parliament and our candidates will need the committed support of all sections of the Party. I ask every Liberal in Australia to become involved in the next campaign. While the election may be fifteen months away the campaign on the ground has begun. Labor and their union mates are out there. We therefore need you and our team needs you. Ladies and Gentlemen: Since his election as Federal President last year, Richard Alston has provided strong and stable leadership to the Party’s organisational wing. I thank Richard and the Federal Executive for their support for the Federal Secretariat as we oversee our preparations for next year’s election. The Federal Secretariat works closely with the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary team and their staff and I thank them for their support and co-operation. The Party’s State Secretariats continue to be well managed and I acknowledge the important contribution of our State Directors and their staff. I particularly thank those Directors who have recently moved on or are about to do so: Damien Mantach, Geoff Greene, Ben Morton and Brad Henderson. Each has made a significant contribution to our success. I particularly wish to thank Tony Nutt for his outstanding contribution as NSW State Director at a very challenging time for the Party. Our success in the March State election owed a great deal to Tony’s efforts. The Government is strong because the Coalition is strong and I thank Scott Mitchell for his co-operation and support. The staff at the Federal Secretariat work long hours in often challenging conditions and make a major contribution to the fortunes of the Party. I particularly wish to acknowledge my Deputy, Julian Sheezel, for his professionalism and commitment. Colin Gracie, who was the Party’s Corporate Affairs Manager for 18 years retired during the year. I place on record my appreciation for his support over the last four election campaigns. 4
Ladies and Gentlemen: Labor is not ready for Government. It is a threat to the prosperity of Australian families, small businesses and retirees. Bill Shorten is not up to it. He is a weak leader in charge of a divided and directionless Party. The Coalition is rebuilding Australia. We are beginning to see the benefits of our strong Economic Plan and hard-working Australians know they can get out there, have a go and plan for their future with confidence. We are building a strong, prosperous economy and a safe secure Australia and I look forward to working with Liberals in all parts of Australia over the next twelve months to ensure our country’s best days are ahead.
5
