Vote for Real Change

Election 2025: A Call for Real Change, Not Hollow Promises

Australians are a practical people. We’re not fond of whingers. Yet every election campaign seems to be filled with politicians pointing fingers and carrying on about what the opposition did wrong — and not nearly enough about what they’ll do right. It’s time for a reset. It’s time for a government that stops talking and starts doing. Australians don’t need more spin — we need solutions that actually make a difference to our day-to-day lives.

Nuclear Power: A Dangerous Distraction

Let’s talk honestly about the nuclear conversation. The idea of nuclear power sounds bold, even futuristic — but the reality doesn’t stack up. A $600 billion spend for power that won’t be available for over 20 years, and even then will only account for around 4% of Australia’s power needs, is simply not good value. Worse still, the cost of this boondoggle will land squarely in the laps of everyday Australians through higher taxes.

We’re already among the most heavily taxed populations in the developed world. Adding more debt, more cost, and more long-term risk to build nuclear reactors no one asked for — without even giving the public a say — is a disgrace.

Nuclear energy has enormous implications for every Australian. That means no government should be allowed to bulldoze it through without a referendum. Remember when Howard sold off Telstra? He claimed a “mandate” from an election win, despite receiving fewer primary votes and only scraping through on preferences. The same can happen again.

If Peter Dutton wins in 2025, it won’t be a green light for nuclear. It will be because people are hurting financially and desperately need relief — now. Lowering fuel prices, easing cost-of-living pressures, and making housing and groceries affordable again must come first. Nuclear power doesn’t put money in pockets. Cutting everyday costs does.

Fuel Prices: Cut the Excise, Pass on the Savings

We’re being ripped off at the bowser. Triple taxation on fuel — excise, GST, and company tax on fuel companies — is punishing Australians. The temporary 50% reduction in excise is welcome, but limiting it to one year is an insult.

We propose:

  • A 50% fuel excise reduction for two years, not one.
  • No indexing increases during that period.
  • Indexing should only resume after two years — and only once every 12 months, not every 6.

This gives real breathing room for families, tradies, and small business operators who rely on affordable fuel to survive.

Furthermore, when wholesale fuel prices drop, that relief must be passed on. We propose new powers for the ACCC to fine freight companies, supermarkets, taxi and ride-share operators, and airlines who fail to pass on fuel savings to consumers.

If the government cuts fuel taxes, then everyone in the supply chain must do their part to ensure Australians benefit at the checkout, not just shareholders.

Gambling: The Next Public Health Crisis

We banned cigarette advertising for good reason — to protect public health. But now we’re facing something even more insidious: gambling. The damage gambling is doing to Australian families and communities is far worse — and yet it’s being pushed harder than ever through slick advertising on TV, online, in stadiums, and even during family-friendly programming.

It’s time to ban gambling advertising — and ban it now.

There are two kinds of gamblers:

  1. The rich and affluent, for whom a flutter is a thrill, not a risk.
  2. The struggling, low-income earners — the ones who can least afford to gamble but are drawn in by hope, desperation, and flashy promises of life-changing wins.

It’s this second group that’s being exploited. And the cost is heartbreaking:

  • Increased crime as people turn to theft, fraud or loan sharks to cover debts.
  • Greater poverty, as families go without basics because the pay packet went into the pokies or a sports betting app.
  • Higher unemployment, as addiction takes over and disrupts jobs and livelihoods.
  • Less money spent in the community — money that should be used on:
  • Nutritious food for kids.
  • Clothing, school supplies, and family essentials.
  • Rent and bills.

Enough is enough. If the government can shut down cigarette promotions, it can and must do the same for gambling. No more excuses. No more lobbying influence. No more lives ruined.

Immigration and Refugees: Prioritise Our Own

It’s not racist to say we need to take care of our own backyard first. Pauline Hanson was blasted years ago for saying we should pause immigration until we fix our own house. In hindsight, she was right — even if people didn’t want to hear it.

  • Unemployment is rising.
  • Homelessness is increasing.
  • Poverty is growing in the suburbs and the bush.

Opening the gates to tens of thousands of new arrivals each year only makes things worse. It puts extra pressure on housing, health services, schools, and job markets already stretched to the limit.

We propose a temporary immigration pause — not forever, but until we make measurable progress on:

  • Reducing unemployment.
  • Cutting homelessness.
  • Addressing housing affordability.
  • Fixing the trade shortages that are holding back construction and economic growth.

Let’s help Australians first. That’s not bigotry — it’s common sense.

Fixing the Trades Crisis: A Nation of Builders, Not Bureaucrats

We don’t have a housing crisis — we have a labour crisis. You can’t build homes without tradespeople. You can’t fix infrastructure, install solar panels, upgrade regional towns, or grow the economy without hands-on workers.

The answer isn’t a mystery — we just need to stop listening to bureaucrats and start listening to people on the tools.

Here’s how we fix it:

  • Start apprenticeships at age 16, after Year 10. Kids don’t want to wait until they’re 18 to get into the workforce. Let them start early and give them a head start.
  • Increase first-year apprentice wages to a liveable level. No 17-year-old can survive on peanuts — not with car payments, rent, or trying to support a young family.
  • Make TAFE free for apprenticeships, no matter the student’s age or background.
  • Provide incentives for employers to take on apprentices, cutting red tape and paperwork.
  • Encourage night school and reward apprentices who go the extra mile by offering day-time pay or credits.
  • Stronger protections for 15–16-year-old apprentices, including confidential and safe channels to report bullying or abuse at work.

If we get serious about apprenticeships, we can fix the national skills shortage in just a few years. Imagine what Australia could look like with thousands of new carpenters, electricians, plumbers, concreters, and mechanics entering the workforce. More homes, better infrastructure, stronger local economies — this is the kind of future we should be building.

Prioritise the Trades That Matter

Let’s stop flooding universities with students chasing desk jobs that don’t exist, and start building a skilled workforce. These trades are in critical demand across Australia:

  • Carpenters
  • Bricklayers
  • Concreters
  • Electricians
  • Security system technicians
  • Landscapers
  • Roofers
  • HVAC technicians
  • Glaziers
  • Plumbers
  • Drainers
  • Plasterers
  • Painters
  • Mechanics
  • Tilers
  • Insulation installers
  • Cabinetmakers

We don’t need more bureaucrats — we need builders.

The Bottom Line

Australians are sick of being told what’s good for them by politicians who’ve never worked a trade, filled up a work ute, or tried to pay rent on apprentice wages. We don’t need a government that talks tough and delivers nothing. We need one that understands real problems and offers real solutions.

The next election is not just a choice between political parties — it’s a choice between more of the same, or a bold new direction that actually listens to ordinary Australians.

  • We don’t need nuclear power. We need affordable fuel.
  • We don’t need more migrants. We need homes for the people already here.
  • We don’t need more red tape. We need tradies.
  • We don’t need more betting ads. We need families protected from gambling harm.

Election 2025 is the time to take back control.

Let’s build a government for the people — not just the privileged.