This list is not exhaustive (although I am exhausted and we have an election right around the corner). Obviously - obviously - this is what matters to me. But everything on this to-do list would make a huge difference to Australians. Might even win a few votes now the Greens are losing their grip on young people.
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First stop. Poverty.
ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie's advice to the Prime Minister is this: "Actually don't leave people behind."
As she points out, the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee's number one recommendation was to fix JobSeeker. That would ensure millions of people are helped and basic economic security would be delivered.
As the EIAC puts it, "The committee recommends the government, as a first priority, commit to a substantial increase in the base rates of the JobSeeker Payment and related working age payments. Income support should better value unpaid caring work and support those who cannot be in full-time paid employment, including due to illness, disability or partial capacity to participate."
Goldie also reminds me: "Our unemployment payment is still the lowest and meanest among OECD countries."
Dear Prime Minister, please stop appealing to racists. You will never be as good at it (I mean as awful) as the Coalition's raging racism so don't go there. Most of the bloody country comes from somewhere else. And whatever you do next on reconciliation, please do a better job than you did with the Voice to Parliament. UNSW's Justine Nolan tells me that being racist can win elections. Her advice to Anthony Albanese is to recognise race is a core issue within inequality, alongside economic justice and climate.
"He needs to think about inequality which comes in many forms and people can see themselves in. Part of that is race but it's much more," she says.
Oh my god. Fix housing. Please.
All I see ranging into the distance is a million missed housing targets. I asked Michael Fotheringham, managing director of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, for some advice to give you. Take a multi-pronged approach. There is no single lever any government can pull that will solve it.
"What is required is coordinated government activity across portfolios and across tiers of government - a shared vision that is cooperative between federal and states, and non-partisan to be stable enough to endure elections/political cycles. Without that we can only fiddle in the margins," says Fotheringham.
The Albanese government has said it will produce a national plan - with buy-in from the states. This is crucial. "Capping negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, then gradually reducing the size of the cap over an extended period would allow removal of a problematic policy setting without triggering market disruption.
"At state level, gradual transition from stamp duty to annual land taxes would reduce one of the key barriers to mobility and downsizing," says Fotheringham.
Speaking of taxes, UNSW's Richard Holden says the Prime Minister should implement a "progressive GST" which would involve raising the rate to 15 per cent and expanding the base to cover more of the economy. As Holden points out, the GST is only on about half of goods and services at present.
"But provide every adult Australian with a GST-free threshold of $15,000 of spending," he says. This would mean a tax-free cheque of $2250 per annum.
Holden calculates this would leave the bottom half of income-earners better off immediately, and it would open up space to cut income taxes to make the overwhelming bulk of Australians better off.
Isn't this electorally risky?
"Of course," says Holden. "But Australians like brave, conviction politicians. And that's an image which the PM lacks. It would also throw Dutton completely off his game, and many in his party room would personally be in favour of it."
I shouldn't have to say this but remember the expression, "nothing about us without us" (that goes for any group - you need to work with and consult with the actual relevant people)? Yes, you've committed to the first separate national action plan on violence against Aboriginal women and children. As Curtin University's Hannah McGlade says: "As the plan is now being developed the responses identified by Aboriginal women, particularly the importance of culturally appropriate early intervention and prevention, such as Aboriginal healing centres, must be supported. That includes ensuring that every single body you fund is actually run by Aboriginal women and men.
As McGlade says: "We desperately need our own services and programs, including in sexual assault. The same is true of the states who underfund Indigenous responses and need to commit to equity in funding based on need."
The last budget allocated more than $32 million to a non-Indigenous organisation led by men for Indigenous boys. "The government is neglecting Aboriginal women-led girls' programs," says McGlade.
And what to do when all anyone cares about is the cost of living? Nicki Hutley, independent economist and a Councillor on the Climate Council, has this advice for the PM.
"The Coalition's tendency to attack policies needed to address climate change makes the government's job heading into this election tricky, as does the public's intense focus on cost of living challenges."
She says that from a political perspective, measures such as subsidies for household and business energy efficiency and solar plus batteries are a win for both climate and hip pockets.
"To support the planet (and the futures of those still too young to vote), key measures include: ceasing fossil fuel subsidies and spending those dollars on climate action, banning new fossil fuel projects and investing in alternative industries and training to support a just transition, accelerating the rollout of renewables and firming (nuclear doesn't add up for Australia), embedding climate in our nature protection laws, and providing more sticks and carrots to support nature preservation and restoration."
And here's one more thing. Fund universities. That's where we will always find the answer to everything.
- Jenna Price is a regular columnist and a visiting fellow at the Australian National University.
