Liberal Senator wishes he’d done more to ‘stop the madness’ in Morrison government | 7.30

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Video Summary

A leading Liberal moderate has launched a scathing attack on his own party, accusing them of "indolence" and a lack of policy ambition for two decades. Senator Andrew Bragg, the Coalition's housing spokesman, declared that the Liberal Party has "buggered up" the two-party system and urged a move away from "populist right-wing talking points" that alienate voters. He also criticized costly housing regulations, suggesting they force Australians to build "super-duper energy-efficient houses" unnecessarily, and called for significant spending cuts, citing a benchmark set by Bob Hawke and Peter Walsh.

Bragg's blunt assessment has reportedly irked colleagues, particularly as it distracts from the Prime Minister's recent podcast controversy. His intervention also complicates the opposition's stance on immigration policy, as he proposed a specific target for net overseas migration tied to housing construction. Meanwhile, the fringe One Nation party faces renewed scrutiny over candidate vetting following homophobic remarks by a now-removed candidate, and an Independent MP has referred the betting industry's influence on gambling legislation to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Short Highlights

Policy Ambition and Honesty: Senator Andrew Bragg criticizes the Liberal Party for a lack of policy development and political risk-taking over 20 years, urging honesty about the nation's problems and a departure from populist rhetoric.
Housing Crisis and Regulations: Bragg highlights a significant shortfall in housing construction relative to migration, suggesting current building regulations are overly costly and complex.
Fiscal Responsibility: He advocates for substantial government spending cuts, referencing historical benchmarks and quantifying potential savings.
Internal Party Discontent: Bragg's candid speech has reportedly caused friction among Liberal colleagues, diverting attention from other controversies.
Controversies Elsewhere: The transcript also touches on issues with One Nation's candidate vetting and allegations of undue influence in gambling legislation.

Key Details

Bragg's Fiery Critique of the Liberal Party [0:00]

Senator Andrew Bragg, the Coalition's housing spokesman, delivered a blunt assessment of the Liberal Party's performance.
He accused the party of "indolence" for the past 20 years and failing to develop alternative policies or embrace political risk.
Bragg stated, "I understand that people are over the two-party system and it's a tough ask to say to Australians, we buggered it up, but please vote for us again."

Addressing Populism and Division [0:41]

Bragg believes the Liberal Party should steer away from "populist right-wing talking points" that alienate many voters.
He condemned the use of "culture wars" by extremes of the left and right to stoke division among various groups.
He declared, "The extremes of the left and right want a stoke division amongst Australians. Be they Jewish, Christian, Muslim, LGBT, women, men, Indigenous, migrant, pick a group, start a culture war, it's got to stop."

Housing Shortfall and Building Standards [1:15]

Bragg addressed the housing crisis, noting a shortfall of 350,000 to 400,000 homes.
He proposed a migration norm of around 180,000 to bridge this gap.
He criticized "gold-plated building regulations" that make housing too expensive, citing an example of needing "super-duper energy-efficient house" requirements.

Calls for Spending Cuts and External Controversies [2:04]

Bragg echoed calls for significant government spending cuts, referencing Bob Hawke and Peter Walsh's success in reducing federal spending to 22% of GDP.
The Treasurer quantified Bragg's proposed cuts at nearly half a trillion dollars, warning they could impact Medicare, pensions, or jobs.
The transcript also briefly mentions scrutiny of One Nation's candidate vetting and an Independent MP's referral of the betting industry to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.