Sustainable Australia | Policies

An independent party from the common-sense political centre, we have a positive plan to secure an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable Australia. To meet our aims, we have developed a comprehensive policy platform, including four major policy priorities:

With a sustainable environment and much more stable population, you can simultaneously achieve affordable housing (due to less buyer demand) and better planning (to stop over-development)...

Economically, this would also help to achieve secure jobs and a more diverse (and resilient) economy. Why? We'd be transferring much more of our scarce economic (over)investment away from housing speculation (significantly related to rapid population growth) and back into our factories, farms and small businesses. Importantly, economic diversity is our strength.

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> Secure #jobs via a more diverse economy

• How? Better invest in education and skills training for local workers; Re-allocate our scarce economic capital (back into our factories, farms and small businesses, to re-diversify our economy); A simpler, fairer tax system; Re-invest in the regions; Fair trade with a level playing field; Australian ownership and management of utilities, land and resources; & more.

> Affordable #housing for first home buyers and renters

• How? Tax reform (end CGT/NG concessions); Stop foreign purchases; Lower immigration; Increase investment in public housing; Better bank lending practices; Greater renters’ rights; & more.

> Better #planning to stop overdevelopment

• How? Give real power to local communities in planning decisions; Increased developer charges for land value (rezoning) gains; Better public transport; Preserve or plant corridors of biodiversity; Prioritise ecological design in housing; & more.

> Sustainable #environment and population

• How? Transition to renewable energy; Moratorium on all fracking; Better manage our water security; Increase conservation management funding and employment; Enhance biodiversity and native species programs; Protect animal habitats from housing and farming land clearing; End old growth forest logging; Minimise factory farming; Reduce waste production; Slow population growth (so all of the above isn't undermined); & more.

> Other policy highlights

• Stop undemocratic privatisation of natural monopolies
• Greater employment opportunities and cultural recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Save our backyards from developers
• No new casinos without clear public approval
• Establish major community product repair and recycle centres
• Prioritise public transport funding over new tollways
• Higher animal welfare standards
• More investment in The Arts 
• Review and renegotiate all trade agreements
• Stop foreign ownership of land, water and all natural resources
• Establish an independent Federal commission against corruption
• Require more timely disclosure of political donations
• Lower immigration from its record level (over 200,000 p.a.) back to the long term average of 70,000 p.a.
• Tackle global population growth through increased foreign aid for female education and universal access to contraception
• Enable citizen initiated referenda or plebiscites to give the people a proper say on important issues like euthanasia, immigration, republic, casinos, etc

In summary - an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable Australia. A nation that is democratically governed for the people, not vested interests and vocal minorities.

If you largely agree, please join today.

National policy platform (20+ sections):

Our policy priorities, and much more, are detailed within our comprehensive policy platform below (for issues outside of our policy platform, see the statement at the bottom of this page).

STATEMENT REGARDING OTHER POLICIES OUTSIDE OF OUR PLATFORM:

As a minor party with limited resources, we cannot have policies on everything. Issues outside of our broad policy platform would be addressed on their merits if elected, in an evidence-based way after careful stakeholder engagement.

Authorised by William Bourke for Sustainable Australia, Sydney, NSW.