Australia’s economy is in transition like never before. The industries that have brought us prosperity in the past are now holding us back from creating prosperity for the future. The Greens are committed to renewing our economy from one that relies on the declining industries of the past to one that provides the jobs and opportunities of the future.
Australians are forward-looking, well-educated and early adopters of new technologies. We have everything we need to build the new clean economy, except the political will to invest public money for the future and the courage to take on the vested interests of the past.
Together with smart investment, we can drive the development of new clean transport infrastructure linking our cities and regions, which will be growing using the latest ideas in sustainable building materials and urban design. We will need a vibrant education sector for Australians and attracting international students.
The latest in science and business development can drive innovations in health care, agriculture, tourism and advanced manufacturing, generating more jobs. Our service sector will flourish creating further jobs for people working for and with people.
While all of these opportunities are waiting to be seized on, inequality in Australia continues to grow, with unequal wealth distribution increasing significantly over the past decade. Students, young families and those looking for work are seeing their financial support stalling or going backwards. This pattern will only increase inequality further unless we address it now.
The Greens are the only party that understands that the economy must work for the benefit of society and not the other way around. We have a progressive plan where tax reform starts at the top by removing unfair tax breaks and wasteful subsidies for polluting industries. Not only will this help address the structural deficit of the budget, but it will force money away from tax sheltered locations like superannuation, housing and mining and into productive areas that will set us up for the new economy and more equitable wealth distribution
The future of Australia’s prosperity is either Green – or not at all.
