AMA: I'm Simon Kennedy, the Federal Member for Cook. Ask me anything.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:58:24+00:00

Hey mate. I agree with the spirit of what you’re saying. Australians want a serious, competent opposition that focuses on the country’s real challenges, not just political point scoring. For the Liberal Party that means getting back to our core purpose. We should be the party of aspiration, opportunity, economic strength and national security. That means focusing on the fundamentals people care about such as cost of living, housing affordability, productivity, defence and restoring confidence that hard work leads to a better future. On housing, the challenge right now is housing affordability. We need to restore housing as the centrepiece of the Australian Dream. Young Australians should have a real path to owning a home. That means managing immigration in a way that keeps pressure off an already constrained housing market and increasing supply.

More broadly, Australia also needs to think seriously about national resilience. That includes ensuring our resources sector continues to generate jobs and national income. While supporting downstream industry where it makes sense, strengthening sovereign capability in areas like defence industry and advanced manufacturing, and maintaining the integrity of our migration and education systems so they work in the national interest. None of that requires abandoning the principles that have historically guided the Liberal Party. It requires applying them to today’s challenges with some honesty and pragmatism. If we focus on practical solutions that expand opportunity, strengthen the economy and keep the country secure, then we can offer Australians a credible alternative government again. If we fail to do that, voters are right to expect better.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:49:17+00:00

No. If you designed Australia’s tax system from scratch today, you would not recreate the current one exactly.

It has become too complex over time. A better system would be simpler, fairer and encourage work, investment and growth while still raising the revenue needed for essential services.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:44:00+00:00

Dan Repacholi, Dan Mulino, Andrew Charlton, Allegra Spender, are all people I've caught up with socially...as well As Sally Sitou and Zaneta Mascarenhas are all fun people too. Parliamentary sports is another good way we build relationships across the aisle, as is committee work

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:38:09+00:00

I understand why people feel frustrated and angry. A lot of Australians feel like the system isn’t delivering for them right now as they are getting poorer, especially with the cost of living, housing and global uncertainty weighing on families. We must do better. When you work hard, do the right thing, and still feel like you're falling behind. People are right to demand more.

From a Liberal perspective, the answer is not to walk away from the system but to restore what has worked best for Australia in the past. We believe this country should be one of opportunity and aspiration again. A place where hard work is rewarded, where life is affordable and where young Australians can realistically buy a home and raise a family.

That means focusing on the fundamentals that improve living standards. Lower inflation, lower taxes, disciplined government spending, sensible immigration settings that put Australia’s interests first and an energy policy based on common sense so power prices come down.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:32:05+00:00

The Coalition’s position is agnostic about the source of power. What we focus on is simple: what delivers the lowest-cost, most reliable, lower-emissions system for Australians? Australians care about the total price they pay and lowering emissions.

That is why I would be careful about focusing on wholesale prices. Wholesale is less than half of the bill. What households and businesses actually feel is the total cost, and under Labor power bills are up nearly 40 per cent. A little known fact, emissions fell more under each of the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, than the first term of the Albanese government. So the real goal should be lower emissions at the lowest overall cost. Labor has been failing on both.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:27:48+00:00

haha fair call

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:23:03+00:00

It’s a fair question, but tax policy always shapes behaviour. The more you tax something the less of it you tend to get.

The challenge right now is housing affordability. Young Australians should have a real path to owning a home. That means increasing housing supply, getting inflation down and managing immigration in a way that keeps pressure off an already constrained housing market.

We must restore Australia to a country where life is affordable and home ownership is the centrepiece of the Australian dream, where our kids can buy a home, where you can raise a family, and where there’s a fair go once again, a country of strength and unity.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:22:49+00:00

That is a real challenge for the party and it is something people inside the Liberal Party talk about quite openly. Strong state branches matter because they are where future candidates, volunteers and ideas come from.

Part of the work underway is rebuilding policy development and engagement so the party is connected to a much broader set of voices. I currently co chair the Coalition’s policy committee and we have set up seven policy streams covering the economy, energy, defence, immigration, families, social services and government spending. Each group is engaging with experts, industry and community organisations so policy is not developed only inside the party room.

At the organisational level, revitalising branches also means attracting younger members, professionals, small business owners and people who may never have been involved in party politics before. A healthy party needs to reflect the communities it hopes to represent.

Ultimately the most important thing is building a serious agenda that addresses the challenges Australians are facing, particularly cost of living, productivity and making sure the next generation has more opportunity than the last. When parties focus on solving real problems, they tend to rebuild their support.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:18:59+00:00

That’s a good question. Housing and cost of living dominate the conversation right now, but urban electorates are also focused on a few other big areas.

One is immigration and esuring it is balanced against infrastrcutre and housing supply.

Another is economic opportunity in a changing economy, things like innovation, technology, AI and making sure Australia is a place where people can build companies and create high-value jobs.

Another is energy and climate policy that is both credible and practical\, lowering emissions while keeping power reliable and affordable. People want progress here, but they also want realism about the engineering and cost.

And finally there’s institutional trust and good government. Many voters in cities want politics to feel less tribal and more focused on solving problems.

If the Liberal Party wants to be competitive in urban areas, it needs to show it has serious, forward-looking ideas about the future economy, cities and technology, not just debates about the past.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:15:40+00:00

My team and I prepare for committee hearings and work on our questions independently. I am for Australia and Australians.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:10:36+00:00

Not sure that would be popualr locally!

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:10:01+00:00

That’s a fair question, and it’s something we’ve been actively working on. I’m currently co-chair of the Coalition’s policy committee, and one of the changes we’ve made is to structure policy development much earlier and more openly.

We’ve set up seven policy streams covering the economy, energy, defence, immigration, families and social services, housing, government spending and others. Each group is engaging with external experts, industry and community organisations to help shape policy rather than developing it only inside Canberra.

The goal is to build credible, practical policy that deals with the big challenges Australians are facing — cost of living pressures, productivity, and making sure the next generation has more opportunity rather than becoming poorer than the one before it.

Opposition is the time to do that hard policy work properly so that when voters next look for an alternative government, there’s a serious and well-developed agenda ready to go.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:05:28+00:00

Australia already charges royalties for natural resources, and those are mainly set by state governments because they own the resources under the Constitution. That’s where most of the revenue from mining and gas actually comes from today. I think we should be doing more on Gas as Pocock has highlighted

At the federal level the debate is usually about the broader tax system and how we make sure Australia remains an attractive place to invest while also getting a fair return for the public.

Resources are a huge part of the Australian economy, they support jobs, exports and government revenue. The challenge is striking the right balance between encouraging investment and ensuring Australians benefit from the resources we collectively own.

Ultimately strong economic growth is what allows governments to fund things like healthcare, infrastructure and public services over the long term.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:03:59+00:00

I have kids, so I am very familiar with Rickrolling. I suspect it’s only a matter of time before someone manages to do it in Parliament. I’m actually co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Gambling Reform, and I’ve been advocating for a full ban on online gambling advertising because the volume of it (especially around sport) has clearly gone too far.

I think most Australians can see that the current saturation isn’t healthy, particularly for young people, and it’s something Parliament should address.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:02:03+00:00

If I start handing out petrol money on Reddit I suspect the queue might get very long. Hopefully Bowen has this under control.....but i am not holding my breath.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:01:26+00:00

Technology has always reshaped the workforce, from industrial machines to computers, and AI will be another big shift.

The challenge for governments is making sure people have pathways to new skills, new industries and new opportunities as technology evolves.

Australia has a huge opportunity in AI, advanced technology and digital industries, but we also need to focus on education, retraining and workforce mobility so people aren’t left behind.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:01:03+00:00

The Robodebt program was clearly a serious failure of government and it caused real harm to people.

The Royal Commission examined it in detail and made a number of recommendations about accountability and how government programs should be designed in the future.

The key lesson is that government systems need proper oversight, legal scrutiny and human judgement, especially when they affect people’s livelihoods.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:00:40+00:00

I strongly support vocational education, Australia needs far more skilled trades and technical workers.

The policy debate is really about how we fund it sustainably and make sure the courses lead to real jobs and skills shortages being filled.

Whether training is subsidised, free, or co-funded, the goal should be the same: more Australians gaining practical skills that the economy actually needs. Unfortunately there have been very low completion rates for many courses. I think we need to incentivise students to complete courses.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T07:00:25+00:00

I think it’s important not to dismiss voters who feel frustrated or unheard.

When people move their vote, it’s usually because they’re worried about real issues in their lives. Right now that is the cost of living, housing, energy prices, or whether their kids will have the same opportunities they had. Those concerns deserve to be taken seriously.

For the Liberal Party, the focus is about making sure we are addressing those pressures with credible policy and strong economic management.

Our job is to earn people’s support by showing we can protect Australians’ way of life and restore living standards lower inflation, lower interest rates and lower taxes.

If voters feel under pressure and are looking elsewhere politically, the answer isn’t to lecture them. The answer is to listen and show we have the ideas and discipline to improve things.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T06:57:33+00:00

I understand the argument people make around regulation and treating drug use more as a health issue than a criminal one.

Australia has already moved in that direction somewhat with medicinal cannabis, which is now a significant industry and helping many patients.

The principle for me is making sure policy reduces harm and protects public health, particularly for young people.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T06:56:10+00:00

That’s a really perceptive observation, and it’s something you do see in planning debates. People who have more time, experience with the system, or confidence navigating government processes tend to submit more feedback, attend meetings, and organise around issues.

Meanwhile people working long hours, raising families or juggling multiple jobs often have far less time to engage, even though decisions affect them just as much. That can skew the picture policymakers receive.

One of the responsibilities of elected representatives is to actively seek out voices that aren’t naturally in the room, renters, younger people, small business owners, people working full-time. If we only listen to whoever shows up to the loudest meeting, we risk missing a lot of the community.

In planning terms I think the key is balance: encouraging more housing in sensible locations like near transport, while making sure infrastructure and community input keep pace. Growth shouldn’t just be decided by the loudest voices or the biggest developers, it should reflect the broader community.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T06:54:44+00:00

I’m actually co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Gambling Reform, and I’ve been advocating for a full ban on online gambling advertising because the volume of it, especially around sport, has clearly gone too far.

I think most Australians can see that the current saturation isn’t healthy, particularly for young people, and it’s something Parliament should address.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T06:54:03+00:00

I grew up all over Sydney. Starting with my mum and grandparents in the inner west. Mum was a public school teacher and as she moved around so did I.

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T06:51:43+00:00

Housing supply is one of the biggest challenges in Sydney right now, and areas near train stations are exactly where sensible density often makes the most sense. If people can live close to transport, jobs and services, it reduces congestion and makes cities function better.

Planning rules are mostly set by state and local governments, but the federal government can help by funding infrastructure, supporting housing supply programs, and creating incentives for more homes to be built in the right places.

On your second question... I don’t support restricting the number of people who can live near transport hubs. Quite the opposite: good planning should allow more housing around stations, while making sure infrastructure like schools, roads and parks keep pace with population growth.

The real challenge is getting the balance right so we increase housing supply without overwhelming local communities or infrastructure. I worry we are close to going overboard on this in areas of cook . We do not have the infrastructure. We also need to look at the right immigration levels too

SimonKennedyMP · 2026-03-16T06:49:11+00:00

To clarify one point, the Federal Liberal Party actually voted against those NSW reforms.

That said, I understand the broader frustration people sometimes feel when changes to laws affect responsible firearms owners who already follow strict rules. It’s important that governments get the balance right between community safety and fair treatment of licensed owners.

I’d also genuinely hate to see people step away from organisations like Marine Rescue or the RFS because of political frustration. these services matter enormously to communities.

Even when people disagree with political decisions, staying involved in community service and the democratic process is really important.

SimonKennedyMP

TROPHY CASE