WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
We've seen huge changes introduced by the government, and they are actively avoiding scrutiny. I think the Senate should do its job and actually split this bill. For the changes to housing, the case has been well made. The WATO, the $250 for working Australians, those things should be able to pass. We should take more time to look at the rest of it, to look at the broad changes to CGT across all asset classes, and just make sure as a Senate, that we get that right.
JOURNALIST
How closely will you work with obviously the Greens, but also the Coalition to make sure that happens?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
One of the things I love about being an independent, is you can work with everyone, and so I'll be working with all of my colleagues on this. Scrutinising the detail, doing the job that people elect the Senate to do to actually make sure that these changes make sense, that we are minimising unintended consequences and getting it right.
JOURNALIST
What leverage will you use to ensure that that happens? What will you give up, or perhaps give to again ensure that that can happen with those parties?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
I'll engage in good faith in the Senate inquiry process. As I said, the government has tried to stitch up a really short Senate inquiry process that doesn't cut it. These changes are complex, they do need time, and we should be looking at the impact on things like startups and small businesses. Canberra is the startup capital of Australia, and I want to make sure that we are not cutting off capital that is desperately needed to grow startups here in Australia to critically make sure that they stay here.
JOURNALIST
We've seen in the past the Greens let perfect be the enemy of good. Is there a risk that this happens here?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
I think the case, as I said earlier, has been made on housing. Australians understand that we've got a housing system that is not working for us, and changing the tax settings has to be part of that. I think it was really smart to actually incentivise new supply in housing through our tax system, and so I welcome that. As someone on the crossbench, I've been making the case to change our tax rules around investment properties since I was elected four years ago. So I fully support that, and really welcome the Treasurer bringing that forward.
It was a shock to everyone that that was across the board, and I don't think one, the case hasn't been made, and the details haven't been sorted out, and it's not good enough for a government to basically say let's ram this through parliament, and the Treasurer will just make rules down the track and sort things out. The Senate is elected to actually make sure that we get it right.
JOURNALIST
Yesterday Kate Chaney asked for the under 16 year old social media ban to extend to AI chatbots. Is that something you've considered, and is it something you'd support?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
I am fully supportive of Kate Chaney's call. We're asleep at the wheel when it comes to AI. We've got a government that has set up an AI Safety Institute, not as a standalone body, but just in the department. They don't even announce or make a press release when they announce the head of the AI Safety Institute. So, I'm concerned we're not taking it seriously.
I think there are some very real risks if you look at the emerging evidence out of the US when it comes to chatbots and how they're actually hacking young people's attachment. This is not just attention that they're grabbing, they are interrupting how families have functioned forever, and I think that is a real problem.
JOURNALIST
Senator, could I get your reactions to Trump's new tariffs on Australia?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
I mean, it's the Trump administration. Like surely nothing should surprise us, it seems short on detail, and just yet another announcement, and who knows what will actually happen.
JOURNALIST
Does Senator Hanson need to make her position clear on this?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
In terms of?
JOURNALIST
Whether or not she supports Trump's tariffs? We know that she's traveled to Mar-a-Lago quite a bit. Everyone seems to have come out against these tariffs. Does she need to make her position clear on this?
ACT INDEPENDENT SENATOR DAVID POCOCK
Yeah, sure. I mean, that's up to her. I think if you're vying to be a party of government as they are, then yes, she should absolutely be clear on our position to the US.