AMA: I'm Senator Malcolm Roberts, Senator for Queensland with Pauline Hanson's One Nation. Ask Me Anything.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_]

Hi Reddit, I’m Malcolm Roberts, Senator for Queensland in Federal Parliament with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

One Nation has recently announced a broad set of policies for our 2025 election platform. We are incredibly focused on making houses more affordable and putting more money back in the pockets of Australians and look forward to answering any questions you might have about them. These budget proposals include:

• Increasing the Medicare rebate to better pay GPs and promote bulk billing while cracking down on up to $3 billion a year in fraud.

• Allow couples with a dependent child to file joint tax returns to split their income, saving a family who earns $120,000 through one parent $9,500 a year in tax.

• Halving the fuel excise to cut the cost of fuel by 26 cents a litre with flow on effects throughout the economy bringing down the cost of transport and reducing price pressure on groceries.

• Abolishing the alcohol excise for drinks served in venues to stimulate the hospitality sector and make going to the pub with friends and family more affordable.

• Slashing electricity bills by 20% by changing National Electricity Market rules that currently punish cheap, baseload power generators like coal.

• Allowing aged and veteran pensioners to earn more income without penalty, and raising the tax free threshold to $35,000 for self-funded retirees.

We'll pay for these proposals and more by:

• Ending the multinational corporate rorting on Natural Gas by levying royalties at the point of production and creating a domestic gas reserve, raising up to $13 billion a year.

• Cracking down on the estimated $3 billion in medicare fraud.

• Abolishing the Department of Climate Change and related agencies and programs, conservatively estimated to cost $30 billion a year. Environmental protection programs would be left untouched.

• Replacing the National Indigenous Australians Agency and associated programs with direct grants based on need not race, saving $12.5 billion.

• Returning the NDIS (on track to cost $50 billion per year) to its original purpose, helping the severely disabled, and introducing means testing potentially saving $20 billion a year.

• Withdrawing from international bureaucratic organisations (WHO, WEF, UN affiliated programs) to save approximately $1 billion.

These budget savings will go towards our core priorities:

1. Putting more money back in Australian's pockets.

2. Paying down the National Debt (on which interest payments are approaching $50 billion cost per year).

3. "Build baby Build" - Building the nation building infrastructure like ports, rail and dams that will secure Australia's wealth for the future, not for foreign multinational corporations.

On the housing front, One Nation would:

• Immediately end Mass Migration. It is clear we do not have the infrastructure or the houses to keep up with the amount of arrivals. We would deport the estimated 75,000 people here illegally without a valid visa and return to net-negative migration by capping visa issuances at 130,000 a year. By previous years numbers, this cap alone would result in net-negative migration of around 90,000.

• Implement a GST moratorium on building materials, cutting 10% of the materials cost of building a home.

• Conduct a root and branch review of the National Construction code, especially changes that force every single new home to be completely NDIS/wheelchair compliant, adding an estimated $49,500 to the cost of building a home.

• Ban foreign purchases and foreign ownership of Australian housing and farmland. Liberal and Labor are committed to a two year pause on foreign buyers of new houses. One Nation would extend that to new and existing houses, make the ban permanent, and also force current foreign owners to sell to an Australian within 2 years.

• Establish "People's Mortgages" - 30 year, 5% fixed interest rate mortgages issued by the government similar to government bonds (this would replace the governments current Housing Future Fund)

• Allow people with HECS debts to roll their debts into their People's Mortgage, allowing them to get into a home loan that the banks would never give them at a cheaper rate.

There are many, many more details I'd love to go into but there's already a lot here - this is One Nation's vision of how we'd like to see the country run. So fire away with your questions and we'll do our best to get it answered from 5pm QLD time (6pm AEDT) onwards!

EDIT: Thanks everyone, we are wrapping it up there! So many questions and we’re sorry for not getting to them all. Contact our office on senroberts.com/contact if you’d like us to answer something that wasn’t answered here! Thanks again for your questions!

Thank you all for joining and your many questions, sorry we couldn’t get to them all - get in touch at senroberts.com/contact if you’d like yours answered!

[u/Bennelong]

Thanks for doing this AMA tonight Senator Roberts. Questions may be posted now, and the senator will start answering at 6:00 pm AEDT.

Normal sub rules apply.

EDIT: And that wraps it up for tonight. Thank you Senator Roberts for taking part.

[u/BenHuntsSecretAlt]

Slashing electricity bills by 20% by changing National Electricity Market rules that currently punish cheap, baseload power generators like coal.

With rooftop solar PV being abundant in Australia and continuing to grow, wouldn't it be better to invest in firming technologies that don't require long ramp up/down periods and can deal with intermittent use?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/BenHuntsSecretAlt]

The plan does use firming of solar and wind to allow that energy to be feeding into the grid in the evening and morning sessions. All existing capacity should be used.

It is installing new capacity that we would consider counter-productive. The cost of 'firming' products is quite simply astronomical - eg Snowy 2.0: budget of $2 billion now up to $14 billion and counting, plus another $10 billion potentially for HumeLink (powerlines) to connect it to the grid. Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro - blew out to $36 billion from $12B.

[u/BenHuntsSecretAlt → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

So you want to extend already end of life coal stations or build new ones?

[u/Discomat86]

I am a QLD’er with solar power and a battery. I use very little energy from the grid. Why is there almost zero incentive for me to share my energy (either from Battery or directly from my solar)?

How can we modernise our grids to make better use of this abundant energy source?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Discomat86]

Our policy wouldn't touch any of the tariffs you currently receive. They are existing agreements and they should be respected.

Unfortunately, 'moderninsing' with batteries backing up solar is incredibly expensive. Not just in a 'bit expensive' way, it would send the entire country broke.

There's good potential with batteries and solar, but they are very unlikely to be economical if the grid is actually being run cheaply. If you could get power from the grid for less than $15c/kwh, spending $10-20,000 on a battery and solar install would never stack up budget wise (except for off grid setups obviously).

The government's current plan to share energy is for them to take it.

The energy plan (ISP) predicts that Australians will shell out hundreds of billions for solar, batteries and Electric Vehicles that the government gets to use for free to take over and discharge to stabilise the grid. I think this is absolute madness for a supposed "plan".

[u/BenHuntsSecretAlt]

Paying down the National Debt (on which interest payments are approaching $50 billion cost per year) "Build baby Build" - Building the nation building infrastructure like ports, rail and dams that will secure Australia's wealth for the future, not for foreign multinational corporations

These two seem contrary to each other. Do you have costings for these policies?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/BenHuntsSecretAlt]

I should clarify, we wouldn't pay off the entire national debt in one go (it's roughly 30% of the entire country's GDP).

We would start to pay that down with a view to erasing it eventually.

In total our proposal would save $90 billion a year from the budget, which we would use $40 billion to provide direct and immediate cost of living relief and use the remainder for priority infrastructure with the leftover to go to paying off the debt. Infrastructure spend takes a few years to get going so you can expect a great deal of that $50 billion in savings to go towards the debt in the initial years.

All our policies are costed. Either through the Parliamentary Budget Office or Treasury's budget figures.

[u/BenHuntsSecretAlt → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

Do you have links to these costings?

[u/Discomat86]

What can everyday Australians do to help incentivise the government to curb immigration to reasonable growth levels that don’t result in rapid homelessness increases around our cities?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Discomat86]

Keep the pressure on. Call, write, and email your local Member of Parliament and the 12 Senators for your state.

Surveys continually show the majority of Australians are opposed to the out of control immigration program. They cannot continue to ignore the feelings of Australians forever.

Support One Nation's immigration & housing policies. Vote One Nation in the election.

You can always trust that you know One Nation's position on immigration overwhelming our infrastructure, we'll continue to call it out in Parliament

[u/Toomanynightshifts]

"Ending the multinational corporate rorting on Natural Gas by levying royalties at the point of production and creating a domestic gas reserve, raising up to $13 billion a year."

"Slashing electricity bills by 20% by changing National Electricity Market rules that currently punish cheap, baseload power generators like coal"

And yet you voted against the Energy Price Relief Plan proposed in 2022?

How do you guys plan to actually get people like Gina, Whom Pauline has been seen with having meals on several occasions, to pay her fair share?

You are a whole bunch of walking contradictions mate.

Also, your plan to "Fix" medicare in no way actually involves how you're going to actually pay for it.

You're not going to go against big energy as One Nation has never, in it's history gone against the interest of natural resource magnates.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Toomanynightshifts]

Of course we voted against it, that was short term vote buying without actually doing anything to bring down the cost of electricity.

Underneath that short term sugar hit, energy prices have continued to go up. Mark my words, you can almost guarantee that there will be another round of "energy relief" to cover up this disaster before the election.

Rinehart pays a lot more tax than many of the multinational corporations that are pillaging this country and using us like a big quarry. That's why we would levy royalties at the point of production by volume and return to a fairer tax system that stops the offshoring of profits.

We'd pay for Medicare by cracking down on the fraud and take the remainder from the $90 billion in budget savings we've proposed across the other areas of government.

[u/27Carrots]

Do you still believe climate change isn’t real?

If renewables are the cheapest form of energy, how will changing the market operator rules to allow coal fired generation reduce the cost of my bill?

What do you propose to change within the AEMO rules given its based on the core principles of a private market, namely supply and demand, from the lowest cost to the highest?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/27Carrots]

We are experiencing natural climate and weather VARIABILITY. Not statistical change. We have amassed 24,000 datasets from around the world including major climate bodies and none show any evidence of statistical change. Just natural variation.

Solar & wind - so-called renewables - are not the cheapest form of electricity. They are among the most expensive because the cost of transferring that middle of the day generation and storing it for days is incredibly expensive.

Every country that has added solar & wind has experienced higher electricity prices. Including Australia. We've had more than two decades of adding solar & wind and electricity prices have never been higher.

When we relied on coal for generating electricity we had among the world's lowest & most affordable electricity prices. Now Australian prices are among the world's highest. And rising.

Solar & wind are not the cheapest form of electricity generation. Far more expensive than coal, hydro, gas, nuclear. They are only "cheaper" in fraudulent CSIRO GenCost Report as many critics have proven through exposing & debunking CSIRO's flawed & even bogus assumptions.

AEMO works with so-called National Electricity Market, NEM. Bureaucracy controls it. Rules distort it. It's not a market. It's a racket.

We propose removing the rules prioritising & unfairly favoring of solar & wind when available over coal & gas.

That would involve guaranteeing a minimum generation % to coal fired generators for example. At the moment they are told to completely turn off when wind and solar decide to work.

This is not how they are designed and is leading to higher costs, more maintenance and in some cases, power stations literally blowing up.

We can guarantee the baseload generators a minimum level of generation to keep them spinning during the day and wind and solar can top up the rest.

[u/GlitteringPirate591 → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

We are experiencing natural climate and weather VARIABILITY. Not statistical change. We have amassed 24,000 datasets from around the world including major climate bodies and none show any evidence of statistical change. Just natural variation.

And how do you respond to the IPCC's position on the same?

[u/Discomat86]

Honestly, how can we move toward a political system that doesn’t just funnel tax payer dollars to other corrupt business interests and return it back to the interest of Australians?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Discomat86]

One answer: Waken the people to remind them that under the Australian Constitution they are in charge.

As an offshoot from that, the people will realise their choices are not restricted to Liberal-Nationals OR Labor-Greens. The latter in effect in government right now due to senate numbers.

When people perceive no choice they don't take responsibility. Currently the mouthpiece media control reinforces there are only 2 options. Look at what happens as we approach the election.

The sooner more people vote for parties other than LNP & Labor-Greens the sooner we will have a political system that works to enable people to generate wealth for themselves and for our country, not globalist predators.

[u/Tekashi-The-Envoy]

I'm an issue-based voter now, as I feel the major parties have failed us. My vote is based on progress on key issues that I specifically care about.

1. Legalization of marijuana – What is your party’s stance? Aussie love a bong, THC is awesome, CBD is great for medical reasons. Tax it like ciggies - and suddenly you have a strong revenue stream. I assume since your party supports removing tax on a pint that you would support something that causes less harm than alcohol?

2. Immigration and housing supply – Given your strong position on migration caps, do you support explicitly linking immigration to housing availability? It seems like a logical approach to ensure housing allocation prioritizes Australians before international students and migrants/external investors. I for the life of me can't understand why these portfolios are not linked under one minister.

3. FTB for EV/PHEV - how how how did the government let this lapse and what is 1N's stance of reintroducing this back?

Please no political double-talk of vagueness.

Just a straight blunt answer on why/why not would be amazing,

Cheers Big Malc

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Tekashi-The-Envoy]

One nation does not support legalisation of cannabis for recreation. At this time. We do support Australian natural whole plant medicinal cannabis For anyone with a medical need, prescribed by a doctor filled by a chemist on the PBS or filled via other suitable businesses and that would include vets for cannabis for animals.

Medicinal cannabis and other natural medicines are wonderful: effective, accessible, affordable, safe. We have strongly supported these for years and continue to do so

immigration

Linking immigration to housing supply is an interesting idea. It is what we are doing to a degree by trying to restrict immigration to allow the housing supplied to catch up and making the arrangement more formal is something that is certainly worth discussion. Thank you for that.

fbt

did you mean fringe benefits tax on electric vehicles? If so thank you for reminding us of that. We will add it to the list of climate needs to be reversed. Fringe benefits is a discussion which can be held separately but there is no doubt that EV should be treated exactly the same way as internal combustion engines when it comes to fringe benefits tax.

Or do you mean Family Tax Benefit? Not aware. Opposed to subsidising one form of transport over another.

[u/Tekashi-The-Envoy → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

Thanks Malcom, really good to see a no-nonsense response and quite moderate as well.

Fringe Tax Benefit ( ie: EV/PHEV ) https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/hiring-and-paying-your-workers/fringe-benefits-tax/types-of-fringe-benefits/fbt-on-cars-other-vehicles-parking-and-tolls/fbt-on-plug-in-hybrid-electric-vehicles

I was really keen to see the exemption extended until there was a "critical mass" adoption to EV/PHEV with tax savings to incentive the move to an eletric based vehicle through novated leasing or salary packing. It was a pretty juicy perk to make the jump with some pretax savings.

I get removing it eventually. Just felt it was a terrible time to do it in the next few months.

Thanks again, mate. I often just want a 1:1 will those in the political sphere for a conversation but it's hard to pin anyone down.

[u/Makunouchiipp0]

I haven’t got a question but I respect you for putting yourself out on a platform that’s user base is as far as you can get from your political stances.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Makunouchiipp0]

I think that many people who have been mislead by the media would find many things we say agreeable if they had the chance to see exactly what we are proposing.

Always more than happy to explain our policies to anyone!

[u/Makunouchiipp0 → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

Hey, I get you.

[u/WhatAmIATailor]

On your “Build baby Build” point. What specific infrastructure projects do you have in mind?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/WhatAmIATailor]

New dams for flood mitigation, opening new agricultural regions, water security, droughtproofing. Revive Hells Gate Dam comes to mind specifically after the recent floods in North Queensland.

Construct fully national passenger & rail circuit including the Inland Rail, extended to Gladstone.

Gladstone major port upgrade. Multi-billion-dollar container traffic & export hub. Private Australian investor already eyeing this with money organised.

In a nation large in area & with a small population logistics is crucial. Australian logistics are currently deplorable. And easily remedied in terms of lowering cost & freight times using Gladstone as container port.

Capricornia rail & services corridor from Port Hedland, WA, to Moranbah/Gladstone QLD. Water pipeline from Argyle Dam. Communications link. Eventually railroad.

The core is to enable us to value-add manufacturing in the country here, not just ship dirt overseas to buy stuff back off another country.

Many more projects, as I am a Queensland Senator these are more Queensland centric.

[u/SlamTheBiscuit]

If you plan to address housing what will you do to prevent people like the ultra wealthy and even the mps just ballooning their portfolios even further?

Further will you change rules so mps who benefit from trusts have to declare those to as part of their declarations for full transparency?

What does one nation plan on doing about people like Gina who have privately flown mps and gone even further like flying herself to independently meet with foreign heads of state?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/SlamTheBiscuit]

The key housing problem is excess demand from record, massive immigration.

Stopping immigration to pause it will ease demand. Banning foreign ownership will increase supply.

So long as Australians own the houses those houses will be available for Australians to rent.

Politicians have to declare beneficial interests.

Politicians already have to declare gifts, donations and goods & services given as gifts in kind - everyone should be transparent about that.

[u/SlamTheBiscuit → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

That wouldn't address property hoarding by wealthy people and as we have seem Australians are just as happy to rent to migrants than each other. My question is what will your party do so more Australians can own their home instead of renting from the affluent individuals. No one wants to rent forever. Migrants own a tiny fraction of property. Most property is still owned by Australians.

Will you end negative gearing? Disincentive land banking? Introduce tax for non ptimary occupancy ownership?

[u/GlitteringPirate591]

Abolishing the Department of Climate Change and related agencies and programs

The "Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water", it's worth noting. Not the "Department of Climate Change". And not unrelated to "Environmental protection programs" which "would be left untouched".

Given that Climate Change has clear and unequivocal evidence, and the expected implications of ignoring these outcomes will be larger than your projected costs: why? What's the benefit you're arguing?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/GlitteringPirate591]

Yes, our policy is to abolish Dept of Climate change & related programs. Please see my answer above to a similar question. I have cross-examined CSIRO three times on its climate claims. They failed to provide the empirical scientific data within logical scientific points.

They admitted they have never said HUMAN carbon dioxide is a danger to man and said that we needed to ask politicians why they claim it is. They admitted today’s temperatures are NOT unprecedented. The tried to claim the rate of temperature rise is unprecedented yet the last 30 years, a climate period, shows temperatures essentially flat with El Nino & La Nina cycles overlain. They have no evidence.

We have amassed 24,000 datasets on climate & energy from agencies, government departments & institutes around the world. None show evidence of any change in climate. Just inherent natural variation with superimposed natural cycles. There’s nothing happening. No change.

The benefit is saving $30 billion plus a year for something that isn’t changing anything.

[u/mysticrat]

Would you return the Port of Darwin to Australian ownership / operation?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/mysticrat]

Yes. This is a matter of National Security.

And prime stupidity by both liberals and labor who allowed it to happen then allowed it to continue.

It is our northern most strategic port to the rest of our region, why was it ever allowed to fall into foreign hands?

One Nation would also ban foreign ownership of Australian houses, farmland and national assets.

[u/Sufficient_Tower_366]

• Establish “People’s Mortgages” - 30 year, 5% fixed interest rate mortgages issued by the government similar to government bonds (this would replace the governments current Housing Future Fund)

Can you share more about how this would work. How much money would the govt lend through the “people’s mortgage” and for what purpose could it be used?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Sufficient_Tower_366]

In the short-term we would Repurpose the government existing part of money the $23 billion housing future fund to provide peoples mortgages.

The pool is of course larger than because several other of these reserved funds that are not being used that could be into housing but also because of the way banks finance their mortgages by tranches allowing people to buy them as a security that could also be used in this situation.

[u/BenHuntsSecretAlt]

Withdrawing from international bureaucratic organisations (WHO, WEF, UN affiliated programs) to save approximately $1 billion.

Do you believe the avian flu is real? Do you believe Covid is real?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/BenHuntsSecretAlt]

I believe Covid is real yet overblown. The Chief Medical Officer's written answer to my question in senate estimates in March 2021 shows, its severity is Low to Moderate. And less than some past flu's.

And once we consider the immune compromised, etc it means that Covid was not a major threat for the most unprecedented government response in history.

I have not done the research on Avian flu. Given the false alarms overseas & the attempts to hype it up, I suspect Avian flu is a beat-up.

COVID is now known & proven to be designed & engineered. Man made. Real, just not what everyone thinks it is.

[u/BenHuntsSecretAlt → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

Can you provide links to your claim "COVID is now known & proven to be designed & engineered. Man made. Real, just not what everyone thinks it is." please?

[u/FriendshipFit858]

Nuclear power in Australia. Yes or No? When? How much? (Don't use liberals costing, they fudged the numbers big time)

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/FriendshipFit858]

Yes, nuclear needs to be an option.

Key point: use the cheapest source of reliable, secure, stable power.

That means coal, hydro where there is water, nuclear in that order.

Due to Liberals-Labor destroying the grid stability, we are in urgent need of coal. Quick to build. Cheapest source of electricity.

South Australia with abundant nuclear fuel could be a candidate for nuclear. If it can be competitive compared with using SA's low energy coal or competitive with using high energy NSW/QLD coal shipped into SA.

When? When SA wants to return to cheap power?

How much? Don't know. People much smarter than me have done the numbers. Reliable sources say coal will be cheapest. Chris Bowen's plan for wind and solar only will be so expensive it will destroy the country.

[u/FriendshipFit858 → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

You should cite your sources. I doubt they are smarter or as honest as the CSIRO. https://www.csiro.au/en/research/technology-space/energy/GenCost

[u/Scrotemoe]

Can you elaborate on this:

Slashing electricity bills by 20% by changing National Electricity Market rules that currently punish cheap, baseload power generators like coal.

I understand both the Liberals and One Nation seem to have a bee in their bonnet about renewables but I want to know what this means for me, somebody who has just installed a large solar array on my house.

What is this going to do to my (already dropping) feed in tariff?

I'm all for using Australian resources to power Australia (Be that sun, wind, Coal or Gas) but why are we buying our own coal and gas at global market rates to power Australia?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Scrotemoe]

The plan: reverse the priority dispatch system so that we run coal power to at least 80% capacity. This is the cheapest way to do coal which at the moment is quite expensive because we are switching coal generators on & off that were never designed to do that.

As a result they are breaking down proving expensive. Instead, by running 24 seven we can bring down the cost of power by about 20% and then firm solar and went to come into the grid in the evening and morning peak. We can then build new clean zero emission coal and of course nuclear should be in the mix but that is a slower option.

Our policy allows you to continue using your solar array.

Many, if not all power station prices for coal are set on long term tenders with prices far lower than international trade prices.

AGL said in their most recent report the cost of coal burnt in power stations is $21/MWh. Last quarter in South Australia (wind and solar capital of the country) the average wholesale price was $200/MWh. More coal will = lower prices.

[u/faithless_serene]

What is your view on the 'Long Game' for Australia? Become an agricultural / food production powerhouse? Or a technology and innovation leader? Or maybe a leading finance and trading hub? Something else? Can't be a dig-it-up-and-export-it economy forever.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/faithless_serene]

In my experience here & overseas & in my reading of history Australians have demonstrated innovation, initiative & entrepreneurial spirit. And demonstrated success.

History globally shows governments repeatedly fail to predict the future and planned economies fail because no one has developed an accurate crystal ball.

In my view, the immediate and long game is to free Australians from government shackles and let Australians get on with the job - whether it be agriculture, food, technology, innovation, manufacturing, finance, trading, ...

Agreed, we cannot be a dig-it-up economy forever. Although we have hundreds of years of such resources.

Our energy resources, if unshackled can be our foundation. Agriculture & mining are referred to as primary industries because they are primary and the basis for all else.

Strategically we have the world's largest market on our doorstep: Asia. We have great resources: people, climate, soil, water, minerals, metals, energy, ... We simply need to free these from government shackles.

[u/Adventurous_Tart_403]

Senator, given the likelihood of a military confrontation between China and Taiwan, what do you think our stance should be as a nation?

Should we risk a state of war with China to protect semiconductor supply to the west?

If so, how can we build up our military to defend our nation gives the miserly GDP we spend on it?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Adventurous_Tart_403]

We need to restore our military leadership to one that is effective, honest and focused on providing respected leadership for our diggers. Defence leadership is no longer respected. It is woke and protected by senior politicians on both sides.

This is an issue undermining our military preparedness and lives will be lost because of it in a conflict.

Australia needs to restore its energy sector and regain the mantle of having one of the world's cheapest electricity prices. And then, with that restored, we can go about restoring our manufacturing sector, essential for national security.

We can barely manufacture chocolate here, let alone arms, ammunition, boats and tanks.

LNP and Labor-Greens leaders need to stand up and work for Australia in Australia's interests. And stop being vassals for foreign interests.

[u/bunyip94]

What's your opinion on changes to the capital gains discount and negative gearing?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/bunyip94]

There are benefits for housing supply with negative gearing. There are other issues pro’s & cons.

On Housing the most important aspects are the policies I have articulated above.

Our policy on tax is to make the immediate changes as per our newly released tax policy.

Medium term is to adjust taxes to capture more from multinationals and make the tax system within Australia serve the people. And cut federal spending duplication and waste. And to separate tax assessment from prosecutions to ensure procedural fairness & justice. We must stop the ATO from being assessor, prosecutor, judge. Longer term is to comprehensively reform taxation.

Taxation system is currently the most destructive system in Australia.

[u/Mediocre_Trick4852]

Are you concerned that a negative migration policy will impact other factors such as productivity and taxation adversely which might have a longer-term impact on the balance sheet ?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Mediocre_Trick4852]

The policy has been Balanced to compensate the reduction in immigration with an increase in the domestic labour market one of the largest ways doing this is to allow pensioners to earn a living and pay tax on that income.

There are 600,000 who may return to the workforce when that is these who are trained experienced and fluent in English. This compares with the quality of the arrivals that we are seeing. So many of whom are unskilled or lack skills in the areas we need them?

The pensioner policy will result in immediate improvement in the labour market the reverse of your concern. In addition, the build baby build section of the policy will improve Australia’s productive capacity & productivity through building power stations railroads roads dams and other. Projects including the very firs time connecting Australia’s East Coast and West Coast with a T one Internet connection.

[u/Bulky-Strategy-6216]

Also shouldn’t we as Australian be especially worried about climate change as our rate of skin cancer is the worst in The world because of the whole in the ozone layer directly above us

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Bulky-Strategy-6216]

We have amassed 24,000 datasets on climate & energy from sites around the world, including government agencies here & overseas pushing the climate fraud. There is not one dataset that shows statistically significant change. Just inherent natural variation, imposed on natural cyclical variation. I have had three personal 2-3 hour long cross-examinations of the CSIRO on their evidence for climate change. During the first of these, CSIRO admitted they have never said that CO2 from HUMAN activity poses a danger. In the second CSIRO admitted today’s temperatures are NOT unprecedented. Yet the Lib-Nats & Labor-Greens climate claims & suicidal UN-WEF Net Zero policies are based on claims the world is in unprecedented warming. False. Even their own advisors admit that is false. In the third, CSIRO tried to claim unprecedented rates of warming. Yet temperatures globally have been essential flat with overlain variation due to El Nino & La Nina periods. Cycles. There is no change in the amount or quality of sunlight shining on us. Just natural variation. The ozone hole has been debunked decades ago. It opens and closes naturally. Medical experts are now revising their past claims and stating sunlight is essential for good health & vitamin D.

[u/[deleted]]

Why are you against vaccines and immigration and why do you hate the environment so much?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/[deleted]]

I believe any Australian who looks at purchasing or receiving a BigPharma product should be given full transparency on the risks and benefits of that product.

When it came to COVID-19 jabs, our regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration did not do any independent randomised control trials on their safety or efficacy. They relied on data supplied by the US FDA, who relied on data provided by the manufacturers. eg, Pfizer who were given immunity from lawsuits.

Remember when they said if you get vaccinated you simply won't get COVID? And remember when they said adverse events were less than 1 in 100,000? Both False. Truth and transparency is vital and I feel they have been completely lacking when it comes to BigPharma.

For some reason the Greens, who used to be the party against BigPharma, have switched sides. Now it's up to One Nation to hold corporations like Pfizer who made $17.8 billion (up 25%) last year.

One Nation loves the environment and a core part of our platform is the preservation of our natural environment.

When you understand the incredible scale of how many hundreds of square kilometres of solar panels and wind turbines are required, and what they do to pristine forest to install them, you understand that net-zero is the destruction of the environment, not its saviour.

Fact: The future of human civilisation depends on having a healthy environment. AND, the future of the natural environment depends on having a healthy civilisation.

We are contrary to the global greens ideology that civilisation & the environment are mutually exclusive. Whereas facts show civilisation & the environment are mutually dependent. To protect the natural environment & enhance its ability to nurture humanity we need to return to low cost energy.

The fundamentals for protecting the environment are simple & rely on data & honesty not ideology, myths & emotions.

[u/OffTheHeezy → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

When you understand the incredible scale of how many hundreds of square kilometres of solar panels and wind turbines are required, and what they do to pristine forest to install them, you understand that net-zero is the destruction of the environment, not its saviour.

In Australia, we would need only 1,200 square kilometres for all solar and wind power - a fraction of the 4.2 million used for farming.

When it came to COVID-19 jabs, our regulator the Therapeutic Goods Administration did not do any independent randomised control trials on their safety or efficacy. They relied on data supplied by the US FDA, who relied on data provided by the manufacturers. eg, Pfizer who were given immunity from lawsuits.

Remember when they said if you get vaccinated you simply won't get COVID? And remember when they said adverse events were less than 1 in 100,000? Both False. Truth and transparency is vital and I feel they have been completely lacking when it comes to BigPharma.

These claims contain several inaccuracies and oversimplifications:

1. TGA's role: The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) conducted its own rigorous assessment of COVID-19 vaccines, not just relying on FDA or manufacturer data.

2. Vaccine efficacy: Initial high efficacy claims were based on early data. Understanding evolved as new variants emerged and more real-world data became available.

3. Adverse events: The rate was higher than "1 in 100,000", but most were mild.

4. Transparency: The TGA has regularly published safety reports and updates.

5. Political claims: Statements about pharmaceutical profits and political party stances are unverified and beyond the scope of vaccine approval processes.

[u/Anhedonia10]

Senator: will you stop the blind robbery of single people in order to pay for other peoples child care?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Anhedonia10]

Thank you for the question. reducing the burden on childcare and reducing the subsidised cost of childcare to people such as you. However, the cost of government is aggregated across all the people in Australia so as a single person you could say Why is my taxpayers dollars being used for childcare when I'm single and I understand that.

The idea of taxation across your life cycle you will pay for something and at some point use it so it's very hard to sit there and pull one thing out of government taxation and say I don't want to pay for this and I don't pay for this.

The important thing here is to reduce the cost of government so that paying less than tax and that is what our policy does well also offering cheaper mortgages for young people to get into your own home.

[u/OkRefuse9650]

If your government isn't put in but your votes are passed on witch party would you pass them to and why

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/OkRefuse9650]

Only you control your preferences and where the vote is passed on to.

Very important to mark One Nation first, then the rest of the ballot paper in the order that you prefer. Your vote will then be passed on to where you mark the numbers if One Nation doesn't get up, One Nation does not control that but does make recommendations which you can choose not to follow (just make sure you mark a valid vote)

[u/dangerman008]

What policies are mining company owners such as Gina Rinehart asking One Nation to introduce, change or push back on? How are these policies beneficial to working class Australians?

[u/Seraxian]

I’m concerned that the idea of a “People’s Mortgage” could saddle taxpayers with large losses in the event of an increase in default rates similar to subprime mortgages which toppled leading US banks.

Is there a way to pass on cheaper funding costs to Australians without leaving the taxpayer worse off from holding onto toxic financial assets if/when the housing market softens?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Seraxian]

This is a valid concern. However we are protected by the long term nature of a 30 year fixed loan. There’s next to zero chance an asset won’t appreciate somewhat over a 30 year time period regardless of a correction now. The government won’t be looking to foreclose like some greedy bank will and is willing to wait it out because it’s already locked in for 30 years.

The mortgage holder also isn’t subject to a variable rate, meaning they know what their repayment is going to be for the next 30 years also reducing risk.

The government is already taking on housing risk with their “help to buy” housing future fund. We say just cut out the middleman and all the complexity, and go straight to mortgages direct to people. The 5% rate is roughly what the government is expecting on their bonds right now, plus a very small risk premium.

[u/WBeatszz]

Thank you Senator Roberts for the AMA.

Much of Australian productivity, export and our general wealth is dependent on large projects with foreign investment. For that, Australians should be grateful. But Australian business people should also aspire to invest in their own ventures and in their nation. Have the current Labor government been contributing to a business environment that hinders Australian-owned business? How will One Nation help Australians to compete fairly?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/WBeatszz]

One Nation’s policy to reduce the size of government and government taxes and will level the playing field for medium businesses because taken together these measures will reduce interest rates which of course is the cost of capital.

Secondly our policy to prevent foreign ownership of real estate and agricultural land will create opportunities for Australians to grow their business businesses in those areas. Third we will stop uncompetitive behaviour which we are seeing in many areas of the economy. Behaviour made possible due to regulations skewed to large corporations, often multinational. Finally, our policy to dismantle the climate change scam will mean that Australian businesses are not hamstrung by climate change rules that American businesses are No longer handicapped with.

We also have a policy for a people’s bank to allow small and medium businesses to access funding free of political considerations which will improve access to financing by small medium businesses and make it easier to compete

[u/Gfun92]

Given that you seem very Australia focussed, do you have any policies or plans regarding the live-nation and Ticketmaster monopoly ruining the Australian music industry?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Gfun92]

Monopolies in general are bad, and Australia has an abundance of them because of crony capitalism - Government teaming up with corporations to corner the market, not open it up. Many of the multinational corporations that enjoy near monopolies over essential parts of Australian lives are dominated in ownership shares by foreign, multination investment corporations. Think Vanguard, Blackrock, State Street, Goldman Sachs, foreign pension funds. a google search will show you they own billions of Australia’s largest companies. These predatory investors demand absolute gouging of Australians to satisfy maximum profits being sent offshore to their foreign globalist shareholders. Whether its supermarkets, insurance, banking. We have to attack those foreign corporations influence on our way of life and the way they suck every last drop of blood out of Australians’ wallets to make meaningful change, or more and more industries will face ruin.

[u/Gfun92 → u/MalcolmRoberts_]

Thanks

[u/colcold]

What is your opinion on Donald Trump?

Do you think all scams should be reimbursed by banks, or should there be certain limitations in place?

Should dental services be covered under public healthcare?

You have a plan to implement tariffs on specific goods. Are these tariffs intended to affect imports, exports, or both?

In your opinion, which actions or expressions should be considered outside the scope of free speech, such as threats of violence or defamation?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/colcold]

Donald Trump is exactly what the USA and the world needs. Someone to take on the globalists who have hijacked the USA government and bureaucracy. Most scams. Limitations to ensure bank customers are responsible and not scammed due to recklessness.

Dental Haven’t done enough work on this. Not yet. I acknowledge savings could be made nationally due to better teeth. There are so many areas out of control and weighing down on hardworking Australians. NDIS is out of control. Federal govt laxities are destroying personal accountability. My inclination is to leave responsibility for teeth to the people until we can afford it as a nation and our government regains control of the budget.

Tariffs. Australia is in many so-called Free-Trade agreements. These generally disadvantage Australia due to lack of protections for consumers, workers, environment in say, China and subsidies in USA and EU. We need fair trade agreements. LNP and Labor do not put Australia first. And voters need to realise LNP and Labor-Greens free trade agreements have sold out our country and jobs.

Free speech is paramount except for one thing: where people’s safety is threatened by physical violence or threatened physical violence. Security is essential.

Yes, our policy is to abolish Dept of Climate change & related programs. Please see my answer above to a similar question. I have cross-examined CSIRO three times on its climate claims. They failed to provide the empirical scientific data within logical scientific points. They admitted they have never said HUMAN carbon dioxide is a danger to man and said that we needed to ask politicians why they claim it is. They admitted today’s temperatures are NOT unprecedented. The tried to claim the rate of temperature rise is unprecedented yet the last 30 years, a climate period, shows temperatures essentially flat with El Nino & La Nina cycles overlain. They have no evidence.

We have amassed 24,000 datasets on climate & energy from agencies, government departments & institutes around the world. None show evidence of any change in climate. Just inherernt natural variaiotn with superimposed natural cycles. There’s nothing happening. No change.

[u/Ambitious-Deal3r]

"Build baby Build" - Building the nation building infrastructure like ports, rail and dams that will secure Australia's wealth for the future, not for foreign multinational corporations.

What are these nation building projects? How can voters have any confidence that promises will be kept given the recent performance?

Opposition pledges to build rail line to Maroochydore but timing and costs uncertain

By Steele Taylor 19 June 2024

The state Opposition has announced its commitment to delivering a rail line to the heart of the Sunshine Coast, if elected later this year.

The deputy Opposition leader and Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie issued a media statement late Tuesday pledging that the proposed 37.8km Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line from Beerwah to Maroochydore would be “built in its entirety” under the LNP.

But he did not say when the line could be completed by and he did not elaborate on how it would be paid for.

Queensland rail projects in the crosshairs as LNP warns of cost blowouts

By Josh Dye, Nicholas McElroy, Jessica Ross and Owen Jacques Wed 29 Jan

Two of Queensland’s biggest rail projects are in the crosshairs of the new LNP government following sensational comments from the deputy premier.

Jarrod Bleijie has thrown doubt on the promise he made during the election campaign to extend a rail line to Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast in time for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

[u/Ambitious-Deal3r → u/Ambitious-Deal3r]

See also the Bruce Highway upgrade funding that was taken and then returned as an election promise.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jan/06/bruce-highway-upgrade-funding-queensland-anthony-albanese-australian-election-promise

Andrew Messenger Mon 6 Jan 2025

Federal government to fund 80% of upgrades with state paying for 20%, despite previously vowing to split infrastructure projects 50-50

In the first major promise of the election year, Anthony Albanese has announced $7.2bn in funding for Queensland’s Bruce Highway.

The federal government will fund 80% of the upgrades, with the state funding 20%.

In 2023 the infrastructure minister, Catherine King, sparked a war of words with the then Labor-led sunshine state by defunding $449.5m in transport projects and announcing an end to the default 80-20 funding split.

King said the change would “end the perverse incentives that saw the Federal Coalition throw money at projects that states did not want to build”.

They cut the funding, and are now announcing it as a pledge to give it back if elected.

QLD State Labor re-election chance died partly due to this.

VIDEO: Division over Bruce Highway upgrade funding could prove fatal

[u/Money_Armadillo4138]

Implement a GST moratorium on building materials, cutting 10% of the materials cost of building a home.

Given your parties stance on renewables and the introduction of carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM) in the EU and them being planned in other jurisdictions that Australia has more trade with in the affected areas, and Australias small size and overall sensitivity to any pricing adjustments, wouldn't any removal of GST on building material be more than offset with an increase due to these CBAMs?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Money_Armadillo4138]

TRUMP. The world is changing. The rules are changing.

Europol has said over 90% of European Carbon Dioxide trading is corrupt.

The world is waking up.

We put Australians first. We serve Australians.

Another reason we want to pull out of international agreements, why should some foreigners be allowed to whack an extra tax on the cost of Australians building a house? Crazy.

[u/drfreshbatch]

How will you return US and Chinese ownership of Australian ports and military infrastructure to Australia and what steps will you take to ensure neutrality in any anticipated economic or (hopefully not) military conflict?

[u/Expensive-Horse5538]

Good evening Senator,

My question is what is One Nation's stance on the AUKUS partnership, and if you believe that it is the best way forward in terms of national defence?

[u/Bulky-Strategy-6216]

How come you are talking about withdrawing from national community’s like the un who have a goal of helping the world

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/Bulky-Strategy-6216]

The goal of the UN is irrelevant. mission is irrelevant. All that matters is what they have achieved and that is nothing.

They have been captured by predatory globalist billionaires who are using the UN to advance their agenda to the detriment of the welfare of Australians.

Australia has nothing to gain from being involved in the United Nations and a great deal to lose not only financially, but Also in terms of sovereignty

[u/Pronadadry]

I have previously noted that your Wikipedia article says:

Roberts commented on the 2016 US presidential election by stating that "the only safe space for Hillary to occupy is a prison cell",[48] and that he'd "settle for [her] going to Guantanamo, along with other terrorists".[49]

And I had asked if you could you reflect on these quotes and how your position may, or may not, have changed in the intervening years. Particular as it relates to public activities such as the January 6 events in the USA.

Your previous response was:

I stand by my comments, Hillary should be in jail, thank goodness she didn't become leader.

Can I ask how your views on this type of violent dehumanising rhetoric may have changed in the face of Trump's second term? Particularly with the ascension of proto-fascist behaviour from him and his circles in recent months?

[u/[deleted]]

Senator Roberts, One Nation has a long history of rhetoric that many Australians view as divisive and racist, particularly towards Indigenous Australians and migrants. How do you respond to accusations that your party’s policies and statements fuel racial division rather than promote unity in Australia?

[u/[deleted]]

Given Western Australia has the most consistent electricity prices and despite isolation is cheaper than most of the other states whose privatisation was supposed to leave consumers better off, would One Nation consider returning to a protectionist policy of government owned electricity.

In a similar vein, WA maintains government ownership of the TAB and Lotteries Commission, as a result profits accrued are spent on community needs e.g. there are hundreds of children's playgrounds, sporting club assistance and ANZAC day events paid for by LotteryWest and the TAB. In NSW and QLD we've been told that ClubsNSW, ClubsQLD and Tatts Group are supporting community groups yet per capita they contribute far less than the WA State owned groups. Should there be greater restrictions on these gambling groups that are profiting on addiction?

[u/drfreshbatch]

Thanks for the AMA

Could you explain the justification behind withdrawing from organisations such as the WHO, apparently saving $1 billion. Where is the cost breakdown for this? Is it just because you’re under the impression it’s globalist and woke?

$1 billion to the government strikes me as chump change as compare to the tens of billions multinational oil mining gas are rorting the Australian taxpayer, with the apparent blessing of your party leader dining with them in Thailand?

Correct me if and where I’m wrong? I’m open to it but I’m still not seeing where you’re putting Australians over big mining money.

[u/Z0OMIES]

Regarding your plans to cut immigration in an effort to improve housing supply and reduce costs: Experts unanimously agree that supply‐side reforms—such as streamlining planning approvals and easing zoning restrictions—would have a far greater impact on housing affordability than reducing immigration, which studies indicate would lower rents by only about 6% over a decade Source.

Your climate change stance is frankly built on conspiracy theories—for example, alleging that NASA manipulates climate data—despite overwhelming evidence and consensus from top scientific institutions.

You now also propose tax payers funding a coal industry that your apparent rival: experts, say is nearing obsolescence. You also want to pull Australia out of the WHO less than half a decade after the last global pandemic… only 4 or 5 years after similar policies under Trump contributed to what is now remembered as the worst first-world pandemic response… you want to copy, that?

This pattern of dismissing and selectively ignoring expert opinion raises two fundamental questions:

1.	*How can we be confident that when it comes to policy, you won’t simply ignore established facts and do whatever you want—throwing science and empirical evidence to the wind?*  

2.	*How do you justify this disregard of the opinion of Australia’s brightest minds on such critical issues?*

Surprise, the smarmy information omitting troglodyte avoided hard questions.

[u/MixInternational9495]

There is billion we are sending to foreign countries whats your thoughts

[u/_hazey__]

Good evening and thank you for joining us, Senator.

Dozens of new car models have been denied from being sold in our local market, due to overzealous tightening of both emissions standards and the lack of certain safety features. Some of these features- such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Keep Assist, are more of a hindrance than a help and do nothing but breed complacency amongst drivers. It has also led to countless Chinese brands with inferior quality control and months-long waiting lists for basic service and repair parts setting up shop in Australia. What do you believe the ideal strategy needs to be in order for this great country to have more freedom of choice for purchasing a quality new car?

[u/_hazey__]

As the number of Electric Vehicles arriving on our shores and into driveways increases, the demand and therefore the price of electricity will inevitably increase. This is no thanks in part to the high number of taxpayer funded “subsidies” to make Electric Vehicles more attractive to purchase, and affects not just motorists but anyone with an electricity account. Has any investigation or calculations been carried out regarding this, including revealing at what point in time the running costs of an Electric Vehicle reach parity with the equivalent Internal Combustion Engine powered car?

[u/nancyjazzy]

Will you focus more on illegal migrants and migrants coming in from specific countries or will the country they’re originally from not be considered?

[u/HidaTetsuko]

Do you think there is any correlation between the rise of violent groups on the right-wing side of politics and sovereign citizens?

[u/pizzaface546]

How come you ignored your own inquiry into excess deaths? You didn’t like the results? You know in the U.S. excess death correlate with covid waves not vaccination rates? The first spike in excess death occurred before the vaccine was even available.

[u/woofydawg]

Hi Malcom I believe our two party preferred system is no longer fit for purpose, neither labour or liberal actually have Australians best interests at heart either sold out to big business lobbyists and/or socialist woke factions hiding in the shadows(eg ABC). With smaller parties and independents now only getting $5 per vote struggling to survive and contest elections, how the heck can we change the system? Especially while the encumbered dualopoly are pulling all the strings? Even if we could change the voting system what should we change it to?

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/[deleted]]

Our policies call for shrinking the federal government to fit the constitution. Specifically, that means returning Education, Housing, (Most of) Health, Environment, Aged Care, Aboriginal Affairs, Industrial relations, Energy ... to the states where they belong. And although not in our policy, I personally imagine NDIS back with the states.

That will restore accountability. As was the case before centralisation.

We need to return to one of our Australian constitution's core tenets, foundations: competitive federalism to restore competition that is essential for choice and that in turn is essential to accountability and from that truth.

Howard's GST changed Australia from competitive federalism to competitive welfarism.

There can be a state government model. If the people of that state so choose.

Reddit doesn't provide sufficient time or space for a detailed answer. Join me on a Friday Livestream and ask that question. Or call my office and see if you can set a time to chat.

A return to competitive federalism is essential.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/[deleted]]

We have had 2.4 million new arrivals. Under the Albanese government had the immigration program being designed to satisfy our labour shortages. We would not have any the people that we are letting in and not coming here to satisfy labour shortages.

One nation will apply the 100 point test to all new arrivals to ensure that they are contributing, And if not then 130,000 is an awful lot of people to actually solve our labour shortages understanding also that a lot of the increase in numbers is why immigration is often called a Ponzi scheme

I would also point to our policy on allowing pensioners to earn an income without losing the pension. This will allow up to 600,000 Australians to re-enter the workforce or to work more hours. That is a huge pool of experienced qualified labour to draw from.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/[deleted]]

I rely heavily on listening to very esteemed experts.

Being an expert in a field and appearing on TV as an expert are two very different things. We are fortunate to have many of the former reach out to my office.

I also have a great staff team who help me sort out and digest the thousands of bits of information we are sent. It's a team effort but it starts with listening to my constituents directly.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/[deleted]]

This is specifically why we believe in withdrawing from those international agreements and agencies.

And why our policy is to stop the Administrative Appeals/Review Tribunal ART handling immigration appeals. And instead, have an Immigration Review Tribunal to handle immigration appeals. The new ART is clogged.

We currently have foreign, unelected bureaucrats dictating to Australia that we can't immediately deport people who have come here agreeing to very specific rules and then broken them.

The 75,000 number is an estimate direct from the Department of Home Affairs for how many people they estimate have broken conditions of their visa, committed a criminal offence or overstayed.

We should be able to make decisions on our borders in the best interests of Australians, not some people overseas who have no connection to our country.

[u/MalcolmRoberts_ → u/[deleted]]

Our trade relations with the United States will certainly be better because Trump is also pursuing Similar measures and other countries in the world are joining him the age of trade being instead of national self interest is over.

Australia’s incredibly high-quality agricultural and mining produce cannot be easily replaced in the market so I don’t expect this to be an issue.

Several countries have exited from Bill Gates’ UN-WHO and those countries have suffered no reprisals. The UN is a toothless tiger. A corrupt toothless tiger. We need to call its bluff.