1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Already and this is the Daily This is the Daily OS. 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 2: Oh, now it makes sense. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 3: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Thursday, 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 3: the thirteenth of February. I'm Zara, I'm Billy. This week 5 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 3: an independent MP introduced a new bill, and that bill 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 3: would require the government to consider the economic, social, environmental 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 3: and cultural wellbeing of future generations when deciding national laws. 8 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 3: It's just the latest in a broader push to consider 9 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 3: the rights and well being of young people here in Australia. 10 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: Now, this is a bill that is obviously specifically designed 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 2: for young people in Australia, which is why when The 12 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 2: Daily Oz posted it to our Instagram, there was a 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 2: whole lot of interest about it. Yeah. 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 3: The cross section of like a TDA audience caring about 15 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 3: something and politics. This is where it happens. 16 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: Yes, so do you want to just take us through 17 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: first what exactactly is in this bill? 18 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 3: Yeah? Absolutely, So. First of all, I just want to 19 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 3: start by talking about who introduced the bill, and the 20 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 3: reason I want to talk about that is because it 21 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 3: makes quite a bit of a difference as to whether 22 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 3: or not this bill will actually become law. So it 23 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 3: was introduced by Independent MP doctor Sophie Scomps. She's the 24 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 3: independent member for Mkeller, she's one of the teals. It 25 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 3: is really important to flag that because of her role 26 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 3: as an independent, it is highly unlikely that this bill 27 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 3: will pass and become law. That said, don't lose me here. 28 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 3: It is still a really interesting topic to discuss. And 29 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 3: you know, pieces of legislation are introduced all the time 30 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 3: as private member's bill and it prompts conversation both in 31 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 3: Parliament and broader Australian community as to the contents of 32 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 3: that bill. So I think definitely worth talking through. 33 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 2: So just to be clear, we're saying it's very unlikely 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: that this legislation will go through, but it's the idea 35 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 2: behind this bill that is a broader discussion in politics, 36 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: which is what we want to talk about today. 37 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, and so I'll go through what to actually in 38 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 3: the legislations. So under the proposal, there would be a 39 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 3: positive duty for the government and other public bodies to 40 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 3: consider the well being of future generations. Now decision makers, 41 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 3: so politicians, bureaucrats whoever, would be legally bound to consider 42 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 3: the well being of younger people when they were drafting 43 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 3: laws and policies. They'd also need to release their well 44 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: being objectives and to report on their progress every six months. 45 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 3: This whole process of protecting the well being of future generations, 46 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 3: this would be overseen by a Future Generations Commissioner and 47 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 3: that person would be appointed through a competitive panel selection if, 48 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 3: of course, this bill were to come into force. 49 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 2: That phrase, or positive duty, is a phrase that we've 50 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 2: seen across a lot of different legislation. We've seen it 51 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: on legislation about workplaces and it's basically just about taking 52 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 2: proactive action rather than. 53 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 3: Reactive reaction exactly. 54 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 2: Okay, so you mentioned the commissioner. Now that will be 55 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 2: a new role. 56 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, so we don't currently have that role. We do, 57 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 3: you have advocates for children and young people at statain 58 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 3: territory levels, but not this position explicitly. So the key 59 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 3: responsibility of this Commissioner would be to advocate for the 60 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 3: long term interests of Australia and current and future generations. 61 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: It would also oversee what it called a national conversation 62 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 3: public forum, and it would invite young people, first nations, 63 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 3: people and people with disabilities to partake in this forum. 64 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 3: After that process took place, the Commissioner would then be 65 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,679 Speaker 3: tasked with publishing a report observing what they would see 66 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 3: as the medium and long term trends, risks and opportunities 67 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 3: that could impact the future well being of Australians. 68 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,839 Speaker 2: And so what was the reasoning behind why doctor Scomps 69 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 2: introduced this legislation. 70 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 3: Well, essentially, she's arguing that there is a problem in 71 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 3: Australia with short sightedness when it comes to policymakings. So 72 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 3: here in Australia we go to a federal election every 73 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 3: three years, and what she's saying is that that's led 74 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 3: to futile policy solutions to some of the country's biggest problems. 75 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 3: So when we're talking about this bill and the policies 76 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: that it would affect, think about things like the housing crisis, 77 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 3: like climate change, these kind of really big, multi generational 78 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 3: ideas and issues that aren't going to be solved in 79 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 3: a day. They're going to take that long term thinking. 80 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 3: And what doctor Scomps is saying is that we don't 81 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 3: have that long term thinking currently. We're not thinking about 82 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 3: the future generations. When, for example, the government or the 83 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 3: opposition is coming up with its policy on housing ahead 84 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 3: of the next election. Now obviously the government would disagree 85 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: with that they would suggest that, you know, they are 86 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 3: thinking ahead when it comes to creating and designing this policy. 87 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 3: But we'll get to that in a moment. I want 88 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 3: to just go back to what doctor Scomp said was 89 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 3: her justification. She said Australians want long term solutions, and 90 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 3: she was citing research from Griffith University that said that 91 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 3: nearly all Australians, so ninety seven percent of those who responded, 92 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 3: support policies that take future generations into account. She said, 93 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 3: they want pollies to think beyond their own re election 94 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 3: prospects every thirty years and to put some serious effort 95 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 3: into turning the ship around for future generations. 96 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: You know you're a politics nord when you refer to 97 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: them as. 98 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 3: Honestly, I'm surprised that you let me do that. I 99 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 3: was just trying to shorten the sentience. 100 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 2: Okay, so I think I understand the policy, but I 101 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 2: wanted to turn to the actual politics of a bill 102 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 2: like this, which you briefly touched on before. Yeah, because 103 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 2: as we said at the top, it is unlikely to 104 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 2: pass yes. 105 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 3: So any bill that's introduced to Parliament by a non 106 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 3: government politician is called a private member's bill. So you 107 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 3: know Sophie Scomp's is an independent member and so she 108 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 3: introduced this piece of legislation as a private member's bill 109 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 3: into the Parliament. For this piece of legislation to pass, 110 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 3: to become law, to become you know what we have 111 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 3: here in Australia, it would need the support of the 112 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 3: government and also other people on the cross bench in 113 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 3: order to pass. And getting that sort of support when 114 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 3: you don't come from inside the government but instead outside, 115 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 3: that's really really rare. And the only time that that 116 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 3: really happens is when the government doesn't have a majority, 117 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 3: and so we obviously have to go to the government 118 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 3: then and try to understand what they think about this. 119 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 3: Is this something that they would support. Prime Minister Anthony 120 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 3: Abernezi did say earlier this week that he would have 121 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 3: a look at the ideas in the legislation, but they 122 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 3: have ruled out on a number of occasions supporting this 123 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 3: sort of legislation. I do want to add really quickly though, 124 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 3: that the bill was backed by Liberal MP Bridget Archer. 125 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 3: Now she is a moderate Liberal who has crossed the 126 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 3: floor on a couple of occasions, so she's voted against 127 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 3: her party. This doesn't really change the success or the 128 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 3: possible success of this bill. But I do think it's 129 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 3: interesting to look at this kind of cross party or 130 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 3: independent liberal coalition that has emerged on this issue. 131 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 2: And just before we finished, some people might be listening 132 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: to this episode and thinking they've heard a cinema. Yeah, 133 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 2: thinking that they have heard us explain a similar or 134 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 2: proposed legislation before. Yeah, because there was one that was 135 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 2: specific about climate change that was called the Duty of 136 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 2: Care campaign. Yeah. Do you want to take us through that? 137 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 3: Yes? So that campaign was run by and Shama, a 138 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 3: young person who I believe we've had on this podcast before, 139 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 3: and she was, as you said, running this duty of 140 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 3: Care campaign that essentially, if it had been successful, would 141 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 3: have meant that the government had to protect the next 142 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 3: generation with this duty of care when it came to 143 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 3: climate change policy specifically. Now, the government did reject that proposal. 144 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 3: It went to a Senate committee which was chaired by 145 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 3: a Labor member, which suggested the bill was too broad, 146 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 3: there would be too many difficulties in protecting areas like 147 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 3: health and cultural and spiritual wellbeing, and so with that 148 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 3: lack of definition, there wasn't support for that. But Billy, 149 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 3: you have asked on a number of occasions to a 150 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 3: number of politicians this very question of why they don't 151 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 3: support something like this, why there isn't something explicit in 152 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 3: our national Parliament to protect future generations. Can you talk 153 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 3: me through what we've heard from the government on this topic. 154 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, So over the past couple of years, I've spoken 155 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: to the Youth Minister Ann Ali and also the Climate 156 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 2: Change Minister Chris Bowen about this, and to be honest, 157 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: they haven't really said a whole lot. But what they 158 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 2: did say was consistent with each other, which is that 159 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 2: the government does consider future generations when it's making decisions 160 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 2: about its policies and its legislation. But what they are 161 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: against is making it a legal requirement for them to 162 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: consider future generations. So they say they're already doing it, 163 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 2: but we don't need this to become law. And the 164 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 2: other thing that they said is that whilst they do 165 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 2: consider future generations, it's also really important to consider the 166 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 2: needs of today, and so it's a constant balancing act 167 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 2: between the two of them. 168 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 3: I mean, I think, just to close this conversation, when 169 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 3: you asked Anthony Albinezi a couple of weeks ago what 170 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 3: he thought the big issue facing young Australians was he 171 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 3: did answer intergenerational inequality, so I know, and. 172 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 2: It didn't come to me at the time to bring 173 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 2: this up, and I wish it did well. 174 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 3: The Prime Minister will just have to return and I'm 175 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 3: real hymn fair that Billy. Thank you so much and 176 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 3: thank you for joining us for another episode of The 177 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 3: Daily os. 178 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 2: If you learn something from today's episode, it would really 179 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: help us if you could press follow on Spotify or Apple. 180 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,199 Speaker 2: It helps us climb up the podcast charts and helps 181 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 2: other people find us. Thank you so much and we'll 182 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 2: be back this evening with your afternoon headlines. 183 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 184 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 1: Bungelung Kalkutin woman from Gadighl Country. The Daily oz acknowledges 185 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 1: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 186 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres 187 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to the 188 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present.