David Pocock

Welfare groups join union push for housing tax shake-up The Australian Council of Social Services has thrown its weight behind calls to wind back property investor tax breaks, setting up a potential housing flashpoint ahead of the government's economic rou...

Sensible limits on generous tax concessions for property investors would help first home buyers & the $$ could help fund more desperately needed social and affordable housing.

This has to be part of the conversation.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Great Barrier Reef coral cover decline shows 'ecosystem under stress' The Australian Institute of Marine Science says coral cover in the Great Barrier Reef has declined after mass bleaching events, with experts warning it faces a future of "increased volatility".

The Reef just recorded its worst coral loss on record.

We're losing a natural wonder due to climate inaction.

🇦🇺 is 2nd biggest fossil fuel exporter & one of ⬆️ per capita emitters in the 🌏

We need bold leadership to protect the people & places we love
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Productivity Commission warns against tough AI laws Standalone laws to govern artificial intelligence should only be considered as a last resort, the Productivity Commission warns, saying heavy-handed regulation could stifle AI's potential to add more ...

🇦🇺 musicians are warning about holes in our laws when it comes to AI.

Grace Tame & Kate Chaney have also highlighted serious gaps when it comes to child protection.

AI offers opportunities but we also need protections against its misuse.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Labor MPs urge government to prioritise reform of ‘failed’ job-ready university graduates scheme Morrison-era graduate scheme increased costs for subjects such as arts and law, while lowering course fees for degrees in Stem

Modelling I commissioned from the PBO shows JRG has hiked up student debt by more than $10bn 🤯

The xbench has been pushing for reform, good to see Labor backbenchers joining this call.

This reform is urgent.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

The Western Edge TRUST. INTEGRITY. LEADERSHIP.

That’s why I’m pushing to protect the Western Edge: a stunning stretch of land south of the falls.

Find out more:
www.davidpocock.com.au/the_western_...

ACT govt confirms its stance on Ginninderra Falls acquisition The site has been on the market for close to a year.

The Disappointed the ACT Govt isn't working with NSW & Fed govt’s to protect Ginninderra Falls.

We should be preserving the places that make Canberra special.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/903272...

Ahead of National Homelessness Week I caught up with Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin and YWCA ACT CEO Frances Crimmins to talk about priorities for the 48th parliament.

With a 10% increase in ppl seeking to access homelessness services there is a lot of work to do.

Stop the Aussie gas scam petition TRUST. INTEGRITY. LEADERSHIP.

It’s time to stop the Aussie gas scam.

Let’s put our people & industries first.

Sign my petition: www.davidpocock.com.au/prrt_petition

Dump the ‘left-field ideas’ and just build a gas reserve, demands AWU The influential union, a key backer of Jim Chalmers, has long advocated for an east coast gas reserve that would force LNG producers to put away gas for locals.

🇦🇺doesn’t have a gas shortage- we’ve got a gas export problem.

¾ of our gas is exported, much of it for free. Meanwhile households & businesses are paying high prices.

Last year I proposed a gas reservation to fix this.
Businesses & unions back it too.
www.afr.com/politics/fed...

Sportsbet advertises multi-bets on AFL website after pulling TV ads due to ‘community sentiment’ Ads encouraging sport fans to ‘bet now’ do not breach any rules but gambling reform advocates say it shows industry attempts to self-regulate have failed

Sportsbet regulating itself is a joke.

The Govt must respond to the Murphy Inquiry and ban gambling ads.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Coalition picks its first fight with Labor – on housing ‘nightmare’ After a federal election dominated by housing policy, the Coalition’s first move is to try to reverse a tax incentive that the building industry believes will ease the rental squeeze.

Disappointing move from the coalition seeking to unwind a measure that will not only add 80,000 new homes in a housing crisis but for the first time put some conditions on commonwealth housing money - like 5 year leases for renters and banning no cause evictions.
www.theage.com.au/politics/fed...

Pocock calls for better bulk-billing deal for Canberra | Region Canberra ACT independent Senator David Pocock has jumped on newly released analysis that suggests the Federal Government’s expansion of the bulk-billing…

Canberrans would love to be able to just take their Medicare card to their doctor, but we have the lowest bulk billing rate in the country and some of the highest out of pocket costs.

This needs to change. I’ll keep pushing for Labor to make good on their promises.
region.com.au/pocock-calls...

‘A huge human cost’: Labor criticised over delays to aged care reforms as waitlist grows Senate votes to establish inquiry after aged care minister rejects calls to bring forward additional 20,000 home care packages

It is completely unacceptable that the Albanese govt is refusing to release desperately needed Home Care packages with 87,000 people on the waitlist.

Thank you to the Coalition, Greens & other xbench colleagues for supporting this inquiry.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Despite $22bn promise, Adani has paid zero corporate tax in Australia and experts think it won’t ever pay a cent Adani’s Australian assets regularly report annual losses despite strong revenue, in part due to big related-party payments

Why on earth do successive 🇦🇺 govts keep allowing giant multinational companies to reap super profits from the sale of our resources without paying tax?? 🤯

This $$ should be supporting Australians in health, housing, education etc.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

ACT chief minister calls for more federal health funding The 2025 ACT Labor conference sees optimism about the party's achievements along with concern about the issues the public health system is facing.

I agree with the Chief Minister on this.

The Feds chip in just 35% for our hospitals - the lowest in the country.

In a small territory, this is existential and ratepayers have to pick up the tab. I'll be pushing the Govt hard for the ACT to get its fair share.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Drug giants targeting Australia’s PBS are paying tiny amounts of tax Global pharmaceutical giants make billions of dollars in Australia but pay a fraction of that in tax. They say the price they get for their drugs is too low.

Drug companies: PBS is unfair

Also drug companies: $5 billion in 🇦🇺 revenue last year but only paid around 2% tax

We should protect the PBS and ensure multinationals pay tax here.
www.afr.com/companies/he...

Tim Winton among 100 high-profile Australians calling for university fees that don’t ‘punish’ arts students Open letter urges Labor to reverse JRG scheme, introduced by Coalition in 2021, as cost of humanities degrees reaches more than $50,000

I’ve been calling on the Govt to get rid of JRG for the last three years. This reform is urgent and will deal with the root cause of ballooning HECS debts - it makes no sense to kick it down the road while talking about cutting 20% or HECS.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

The first term of the Albanese Government was the second most secretive in the last 30 years - more secretive than the Morrison Government.

This has to change in their second term - we need more transparency and respect for the Australian people.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/902424...

Lobbyist breaches go unsanctioned as critics call for Australia’s rules to be strengthened Federal government says more than a dozen breaches were administrative but lack of penalties prompts calls for ‘a big stick to sanction lobbyists’

Our lobbying system in Australia is a total joke.

Monique Ryan and I have a bill in the House and Senate to fix it, but the major parties prefer the lack of transparency and accountability.

Labor and the Coalition need to do better.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

'Popular' bets fail punters as inducements questioned The ways gambling companies induce people to bet more than they otherwise would are being questioned, along with the opaque nature of promotions.

More than 2 yrs since the Murphy Review it's past time the govt acted to ban gambling advertising - especially inducements.

Inducements are the most harmful form of marketing and trap people into debt spirals.
au.news.yahoo.com/popular-bets...

Letters reveal federal government approved sale of CSIRO Ginninderra site Negotiations on the sale are still progressing.

The CSIRO Ginninderra site could add thousands of desperately needed new homes, especially social and affordable homes, to the ACT.

We need both levels of Labor government to be acting with urgency when it comes to housing for people in the ACT.
www.canberratimes.com.au/story/902498...

Raise jobseeker to 90% of age pension and pay for it by curbing super tax concessions, Vinnies says Exclusive: Welfare reform paper also urges increases to rent assistance and payments to families and single parents

We are seeing rising inequality in Australia.
Our safety net ia below the poverty line.
This is a political decision.

We need more than talk, we need the political will to not leave anyone behind and build a fairer Australia.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Australians are dying waiting to receive support from Homecare packages & we're hearing report after report about bed block.

The XBench asked govt to bring forward 20,000 packages to help with the 87,000 backlog but the Minister said no.

I will keep pushing & this inquiry will gather the evidence.

Secretive Albanese government goes backward on transparency Labor refused freedom of information requests in its first term more often than the Morrison government despite campaigning on a platform of integrity.

Transparency is the lifeblood of any strong democracy & these findings from the Centre for Public Integrity are a real indictment on the Govt.

Historically Labor has had a strong record on transparency & it's something they’ve called for loudly from the opp benches.
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

Australia joins other nations in call for an immediate end to war in Gaza "We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now," the statement said.

While welcome, we need more than words from the international community to stop the killing of civilians in Gaza, especially those seeking aid.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Women 'stuck' in refuges as housing crisis fuels worst homelessness 'in living memory' Homelessness has risen to the "worst levels in living memory" in the first term of the Albanese government, advocacy groups warn, as the government grapples with advice that housing targets will not b...

New research from Everybody's Home shows homelessness in 🇦🇺 is ⬆️ & the availability of social housing is ⬇️

I wrote to the Housing Minister again yesterday urging the fed govt to do more, faster.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

The tax change that could allow thousands of new homes, ease rental pressure Labor went to the 2019 election promising to halve the capital gains tax concession. Now a Labor-aligned think tank says it should increase the concession.

We should be using tax reform to tackle housing affordability, not just CGT discount to ⬆️ supply but also reforming negative gearing + stamp duty, one of our most regressive taxes.

Sen Lambie and I had the PBO cost options - just need political will...
www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

Trump flags tariffs of 200pc on pharmaceuticals, 50pc on copper Donald Trump flags a possible 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals — one of Australia's biggest exports to the US — and says copper could be hit with a 50 per cent levy.

We must never allow the US to dictate the terms of our PBS.

The PBS is a pillar of our universal health system. It is the reason why in Aus, we pay just A$21/month for cholesterol meds, while US citizens can pay A$2,628.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Australians could cut power bills by 90% if they made their homes more energy efficient, report finds Debate on how to generate energy ‘important but misses the point’, analyst says, when you can get such savings by using solar, batteries and efficient appliances

Australians could cut power bills by up to 90% but not everyone can afford the upfront cost.

A new report confirms energy-efficient homes, rooftop solar and batteries can save households $1000s every year.

Govt should ensure this is available to all.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

That’s why I’ve teamed up with Monique Ryan MP and introduced a bill for strong, clear rules and real-time disclosure of lobbying activity.

We can restore trust in government - but only if we’re willing to act.