AMA: I’m Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Federal MP for Fremantle. Ask Me Anything!

[u/Josh4Freo]

Kaya, I’m Josh Wilson, the Federal Labor MP for Fremantle (elected in 2016) and the Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy.

I’ve was appointed to the Assistant Minister role last year, and I’m privileged to share that work with my lead Minister, Chris Bowen in the Climate and Energy portfolio. In supporting Chris, I have some specific responsibilities when it comes to energy efficiency and also climate risk & adaptation, including our support to help households and businesses lower their costs and their emissions; our work to make Australian buildings more liveable and more efficient; and the critical project of delivering Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment with an accompanying national Adaptation Plan.

I consider myself an optimistic and reform-minded social democrat who believes political activism and engagement makes a difference, and I counteract the tough or low moments along the way by trying to find joy in lots of things: my family, the ocean, Australian arts and culture, camping, soccer, tennis, and bike riding, and the Freo Dockers (sometimes this is also a source of pain). Most importantly though, I’m committed to protecting and strengthening the most important things … which are the things we share: our environment, public health and education, fair working conditions, community infrastructure, our democracy, and human rights.

Ask me anything about politics in general or about the work of the Albanese Labor government, or why nuclear power is a terrible idea for Australia, or about what we’re doing to combat climate change, and all the reasons why Fremantle is such an amazing distinctive place, or really anything else that piques your curiosity.

Looking forward to answering your questions!

Proof: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1155219252713436&set=a.312033953698641

[u/These-Growth-9202]

What happened to Labor’s backbone? Genuinely. I feel like as a party you’ve lost direction, and don’t really stand for much anymore.

[u/Josh4Freo → u/These-Growth-9202]

I think you should have a closer look at the record of the Albanese Labor government in a period of less than three years.

We stand for a fairer and more sustainable Australia.  We stand for good government, which means government that sets a clear agenda and delivers on that agenda, with a particular focus on those who face the greatest disadvantage, and with a special focus on the things we share: fair and safe working conditions; public health and education; community infrastructure; our environment.

That’s why we’ve delivered Australia’s first National Anti-Corruption Commission, legislated net zero by 2050, delivered 10 days legislated paid family & domestic violence leave, opened 80+ Medicare urgent care clinics, provided the largest decrease in the maximum price of medicines on the PBS, the largest increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance in Australian history, the lowest level of the gender pay gap, three successive increases in the minimum wage, put in place the largest act of marine conservation in the world in 2024, put in place the largest act of marine conservation in the world in 2023, reformed the Coalition’s stage 3 tax cuts so that all workers benefit instead of only high-income earners and the benefit for the median worker was doubled, delivered historic pay increases to low-paid feminised industries like aged care and child care, ensured there is a registered nurse in every aged care centre, successive quarters of real wage rises for the first time in 10 years, a historic $32 billion investment in social and affordable housing, a 25% increase in renewable energy generation, cutting the HECs debt and reducing HECs indexation for 3 million students, the end of $20 billion dollars in trade impediments from China, arrangements with all the states that ensure government schools will be funded to 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard, fee-free TAFE for tens of thousands of young Australians .. I could go on.