Anthony Albanese has outlined what he believes are the three biggest challenges facing his government in the short term.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia, Albanese said the economy, China and cost of living issues are the biggest issues.
“The economy, of course, is always front and centre. If you don’t get the economic results right, it’s harder to achieve your social or environmental agendas,” he told political editor Andrew Clennell.
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“In some cases there is pressure from international spheres. Inflationary pressure comes in part as a result of what is happening globally, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Albanese also called China’s posture in the Pacific a major focus of his government.
“The second, of course, is strategic competition in our region, with China being more forward-looking. That will continue to be something we’re focused on in the region,” he said.
Finally, he said his government wants to address the overall cost-of-living pressures facing Australians.
“And the third pressure that exists is closely related to the first. General cost of living pressures – how we take the pressure off people,” he said.
“Housing costs, child care costs, health care costs, all of these measures.
“The position we took in the elections, we are determined to implement it to make childcare cheaper, to take pressure off pharmaceutical products, to take pressure off healthcare costs.
“To meet the housing policy at all levels.”
The government will hold a jobs and skills summit designed to bring together business, unions and industry to tackle the jobs shortage and economic challenges facing the country.
Albanese argued that better economic results can be achieved through collaboration.
“What we’re interested in is making sure that we can have improvements in enterprise bargaining, that we can focus there on productivity and we can focus on the ways in which businesses and unions come together,” he said.
“With collaboration, you will get better results. So I am very excited, for example, at the jobs and skills summit, that we can reach an agreement between employers and unions on their common interests.
“To do that, you have to bring people together in the room and make these decisions in the common interest, which is there.”
It will be led by Treasury, who will invite submissions and engage the wider community over the next year.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will reveal the results of the summit when he presents his first budget on October 25.