Monday, 9 November 2026

Topics: red tape; economic management; opinion polls; U.S. midterm elections; Victorian politics; Jess Wilson.

E&OE……………………..

Kieran Gilbert: Let's go live now to the Shadow Treasurer, Tim Wilson. Tim Wilson, thanks for your time. Got a lot to get across today. I want to start with your plans on red tape. What is the Coalition proposing in terms of its taskforce on reducing regulation?

Tim Wilson: We're talking to our colleagues and putting emphasis on them that they have to be part of finding red tape reduction. But when we get into government, our focus is going to be on how we put pressure on regulators to reduce red tape and regulation. Because a lot of the growth in regulation has come out of regulators who don't have any obligation under the current government to question the impact of regulation, particularly on the impact it's having on growing business. So, our focus will be to turn around and say, "You have to cut regulation, tell us how we can do it efficiently." This is the model that's been used in places like the UK and it's freed up lots of costs, particularly for the small businesses of the country.

Kieran Gilbert: And what sort of target are you going to set on it?

Tim Wilson: Well, we set 25%, but we're always keen to see more. But there's always a disproportionate benefit for small business. Because small business doesn't just carry the cost; they don't have the HR departments, they don't have the legal departments to implement regulation, and that's why we're so clear-eyed that cutting red tape, which has both a financial impact as well as a time impact, will benefit small business so strongly.

Kieran Gilbert: The recent polls today, there's plenty out, but there's one number in particular I wanted to ask you about. The Resolve poll that has your economic management now, it's a pretty clear lead over the government in terms of that really crucial metric. Do you take a bit of credit for that or is it simply down to the five rate rises we've seen and people are getting smashed?

Tim Wilson: We've seen the government's spending addiction continue to fuel inflation. That's obviously a part of it. But we have also then been the answer to that problem. We've announced $31.3 billion of savings, which is clearly focused on not just stopping the waste, fraud, and corruption within government, it's also then about how do we reduce spending and take pressure off inflation, where we've obviously made an announcement today around regulation. And we, of course, want to see measures that particularly back in small business and give small business and self-employed Australians hope for the future, because it's both about managing the budget, but it's also about how do we unleash the potential of the Australian community to grow the economy, to back themselves and provide for their families.

Kieran Gilbert: Are you encouraged by that survey that has your primary up to about 25? That was the RedBridge survey.

Tim Wilson: Of course it's always encouraging to see positive movements. But this is a long game, and we have a lot of work that needs to be done to make sure that we don't just beat the government at the next election, though, of course, that is the objective. It's to make sure that Australians look to the horizon with hope and believe that we can actually build a better country if we work together. Our primary vote is where it is. I'd like to of course always see it higher, and even if it went higher and higher, I'd still like to see it going higher because we have to be the agents of change to build a better country. Because the problem we've got at the moment is the Albanese government cannot unite the country, the Prime Minister is completely distrusted by the public, and of course we have other political parties like One Nation that have no intention of uniting Australians. My focus is on how we unite Australians, give them confidence for the future, and build that better future together.

Kieran Gilbert: Do you take any lessons or anything out of the midterms in the United States? That was an incredible wave that we saw last week, ongoing implications right around the world from that result, because obviously whatever happens in Washington does affect the world, Middle East policy and whatever else. What do you take out of that?

Tim Wilson: There's a lot of things we can take out and go down into microscopic detail, but it's the simplest thing. It's the economy, stupid. Australians have lost faith in the Albanese government and the consequences of their active inflation agenda. We know in the United States a lot of Americans feel like they're financially drowning because of rising energy prices, rising inflation prices at the supermarket. And so, I think that the key message is obvious, that when people don't feel like they're getting ahead, they vote against the incumbent. But just being the alternative isn't enough. You need to have a clear vision about how you're going to improve people's lives, and that's why we've announced red tape reduction, reducing spending, and of course, making sure we back in small business.

Kieran Gilbert: Bill Clinton, I think, was the one who said every presidential election is a referendum on economic management, and the same can be said here I guess. It's part of the story as to why your namesake Jess Wilson is looking good ahead of November 28th. What is the mood like among your colleagues down there?

Tim Wilson: Well, it's part of the reason Jess is doing well. It's also because she's a superstar. It's also because people are sick of a corrupt Labor government and we can't understate it. I mean, this is basically an organised crime cartel registered as a political party governing our state and that's how people feel. So, people are feeling confident about the team, but everyone knows that it's going to go down right to the wire. But the number of people, I was out on Saturday and Sunday, and a number of people came up and said, "Mate, I have voted Labor my entire life, but I am voting Liberal because we must get rid of this corrupt Labor government."

Kieran Gilbert: We will see. 19 days to go, it's not long. Tim Wilson, Shadow Treasurer, thanks for your time. Talk to you soon.

Tim Wilson: Thank you.

[ENDS]