Twelve months after becoming the first independent candidate to win one of the ACT’s two senate seats, Senator David Pocock has thanked the community for their support and identified priority areas heading into his second year in the senate.
Twelve months after becoming the first independent candidate to win one of the ACT’s two senate seats, Senator David Pocock has thanked the community for their support and identified priority areas heading into his second year in the senate.
“I campaigned on a promise of doing politics differently, of being more accessible and accountable and delivering more for Canberra,” Senator Pocock said.
“After 12 months on the job, the best feedback I have received is that people of the ACT, Norfolk Island and Jervis Bay feel heard and that they have someone standing up for them in federal parliament.
“Together we have achieved some big wins over the past year but there’s still so much more to do and I look forward to continuing to push hard on behalf of our community.
“Looking ahead, the priorities for the next year include encouraging the government to do more to address the cost-of-living crisis, and housing in particular.
“Environment can and has to be a big focus with reform of federal environmental law and holding the government to its pledge of no more species extinction.
“We are still working through the electoral reform process and I’ll keep pushing hard for more transparency and better representation for the ACT, as well as for the big conversation we need to have on tax reform.
“Pursuing a Canberra Region City Partnership and ensuring we start to get our fair share of federal funding will be a big focus of ongoing work with the community.”
Senator Pocock said that listening to the views of the electorate and consulting on key issues was essential to delivering on his commitment to making politics about people again.
In the past 12 months, Senator Pocock has hosted:
- Five small business tours
- Six Town Halls
- Major Referendum and Voice information night
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Roundtables and parliamentary briefings on on gambling and harmful marketing to children, technology, Safeguard Mechanism, Canberra City Partnership, ACT GPs, Nature Repair Market, Disability, Biodiversity, industrial relations, electrification, community sport, Inflation Reduction Act, Electric Vehicles
Senator Pocock has negotiated a range of key amendments and outcomes on a raft of key legislation including the following:
- Negotiate passage of the Restoring Territory Rights Bill
- Helped negotiate $1.3bn electrification package in the federal budget
- Removal of the burning of native forest biomass as renewable energy under the Renewable Energy Target
- Energy Price Caps legislated with more support for the ACT negotiated incl $7.5m for ACT electrification scheme
- Indexation worth $6.3bn negotiated for housing legislation currently before the senate
- Successfully lobby government to restore $67.5 million in funding for frontline homelessness services
- Negotiate passage of the Safeguard Mechanism
- Work with Helen Haines MP and the crossbench to support the introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Commission
- Work with Zali Steggall OAM MP and the crossbench to legislate an emissions reduction target
- Amendments that require the annual statement on climate change to assess climate risk, measures that increase transparency of the advice given to government, a requirement for public consultation including with the scientific community when the CCA is advising the minister on the annual statement on climate change, and a change to ARENA Act to allow funding of technologies that will reduce emissions such as electric vehicle chargers.
- Establishing the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee which led to an increase in JobSeeker and other income support payments, as well as Commonwealth Rent Assistance
- Make opiate dependence treatments more affordable and accessible to those who need them
- Ensure Jobs and Skills Australia expressly recognises the role of Universities and embeds consideration of the Gender Pay Gap
- Ensure the High Speed Rail Authority Board is appointed on a merit base
- Establish the National Construction Industry Forum
- A commitment to respond to the Murray Review on Security of Payments this term so tradies have a better chance of being paid for work done
- A commitment from the Minister for Science and Industry that fossil fuel companies will not fund Questacon
- Minimise PHEVs in the Commonwealth fleet + extra charging infrastructure in EV Strategy
- Commitment to a Canberra presence for the National Reconstruction Fund
- Earlier review dates for a host of key new programs and authorities
- Fair treatment for ACT firefighters by expanding the list of cancers included in presumptive Comcare legislation
- More integrity for ACCUs
- Corrected an error in the table of precedence
- Advocacy to help secure $500m for National Cultural and Collecting Institutions
- Used Parliamentary privilege to table testimony from a whistleblower about the death of dolphins in Santos oil spill.
- Advocated to have Financial Sector Reform Bill passed in time to prevent predatory lending at Christmas
- Superannuation disallowance for more transparency
- Industrial Relations reforms legislated with amendments & concessions and added protection for small business
- Get up an inquiry into impact of Feral Horses and the administrative burden of government paid parental leave on small business
- Inclusion of cooks in discounted rates for early childhood education and improved language in the bill
- Exclusion of PHEVs from Treasury Laws Amendment (Electric Car Discount) Act after 3 years
- Support for minimum vehicle emissions standards
- Cashless Debit Card repealed with agreement to provide better technology for opt-ins
- Using an Auslan interpreter for First Speech
- Agreement to ensure that the 24/7 registered nurse requirement in aged care can never be watered down and becomes a universal standard of care across Australia
Senator Pocock has also been an active member of parliamentary committees, participating in inquiries and contributing additional comments and dissenting reports on numerous key pieces of legislation.