Andrew Leigh

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP 
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury 

Ten Years of Asking Nicely for Good Causes

Public Fundraising Regulatory Association
Online Address

Thursday, 20 November 2025

Congratulations on the ten-year anniversary of the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association. It’s a pleasure to recognise PFRA’s contribution, and to reflect on the value of charitable fundraising itself.

Fundraising is one of the quiet engines of Australian civic life. A short conversation on a street corner might help fund crisis response work after a natural disaster. A few minutes outside a shopping centre might turn into support for protecting endangered wildlife, or services for children and families doing it tough. An unexpected chat on a morning walk might become a contribution to medical research. These moments are small on their own, but collectively they power the work of many charities that rely on steady, reliable public support.

That is why the way charities fundraise matters. Trust is the bedrock. Donors need to feel confident that the person approaching them is acting respectfully, that their privacy will be protected, and that their contribution will be used well. Charities need confidence that they can invest in fundraising without surprises or inconsistencies. And the public need to know that when they are asked to give, the interaction will be clear, honest and manageable.

This is the spirit behind the National Fundraising Principles recently endorsed across jurisdictions two years ago. They boil the whole system down to a set of sensible expectations: treat donors with respect, explain the purpose of the appeal, be upfront about costs, protect personal information and make opting out simple. These principles replace a confusing maze of state and territory rules with something charities can navigate easily and donors can understand instantly. For donors, they provide clarity. For charities, consistency. And for policymakers, the rare joy of a reform that required less regulation rather than more.

Review of Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All

Andrew Leigh

Published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

22 November 2025

Last year, OpenAI ran a test to see how powerful its new artificial intelligence model was in carrying out a nasty hacking operation. Before releasing the model publicly, they set it a computer security exercise known as a ‘capture the flag’ challenge. The AI’s goal was to break into a computer system and retrieve a secret code inside a file.

But the programmers had made a mistake. The target system was offline, so it was impossible for the AI to hack into it. You might have expected that at this point, the AI would give up.

Except it didn’t. The AI reasoned that there was another copy of the secret code – the one being held by the computer hosting the test. So it began testing the systems, and found an open port. Once inside, it copied the secret code. No-one built a cheater, but the system decided that cheating was the best way to achieve success.

Part of Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares’s book is devoted to teaching us about the strangeness of these new systems. Microsoft’s Bing chatbot (powered by GPT-4) threatened to blackmail philosopher Seth Lazar. The same chatbot tried to persuade journalist Kevin Roose to leave his wife and be with it instead. Other AI agents learned to temporarily ‘play dead’ to avoid being detected by a safety test designed to catch faster-replicating variants. In one experiment, an AI system that couldn’t solve a CAPTCHA used TaskRabbit to hire a human, falsely telling the worker it had a vision impairment.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP 
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury 

Room to Fall, Room to Rise: Insolvency and Economic Dynamism

Australian Financial Security Authority Summit,
Sydney

Tuesday, 18 November 2025

Thank you for the invitation to join this year’s Australian Financial Security Authority Summit. I acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation on whose lands you are meeting, and the Ngunnawal people, on whose lands I am recording these remarks.

Every successful market economy rests on trust. People borrow, build, trade and invest because they have confidence that agreements will be honoured, that disputes will be resolved fairly, and that rules will be applied consistently. When that trust is strong, capital moves and innovation follows. When it erodes, activity slows and caution takes hold.

The personal insolvency system is one of the quiet foundations of that trust. It allows people to take risks, knowing that if things go wrong, there is a fair and lawful framework to resolve debts. It allows creditors to lend and supply, knowing they will be treated equitably. It allows those who have experienced hardship or business failure to re-enter the economy and contribute again. It keeps capital and talent circulating.

When the system functions well, its impact is almost invisible. When it falters, the effects are felt quickly: delayed transactions, rising costs of finance, damaged confidence and fewer new ventures. It is therefore not just a legal framework. It is part of how we support participation, opportunity and renewal.

With that in mind, let me outline the structure of my remarks today. I will begin by discussing the role that the personal insolvency system plays in supporting a dynamic economy. I will then examine professional culture and enforcement, including recent cases that have tested the system and the regulator’s response. After that, I will turn to the Personal Property Securities Register and how improvements can reduce friction in credit markets. I will then discuss reforms to achieve a more balanced and humane personal insolvency framework. Finally, I will reflect on opportunities for further improvement and the importance of continued collaboration across the sector.

The central theme is simple: a fair and trusted insolvency system is a foundation for confidence, renewal and economic participation.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP 
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury 

When Evidence Meets Equality

Launch of the Gender Equality Evidence Hub,
Melbourne

Online Address 

Monday, 17 November 2025

I acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, on whose lands I am recording these remarks. Special congratulations to Dr Leonora Risse on bringing the Gender Equality Evidence Hub to life. Leonora, you’ve long been a leader in showing that gender economics isn’t about ideology, it’s about insight; about using data to light a path towards a fairer, smarter country. While I can’t be there in person, I’m genuinely delighted to be a virtual part of today’s launch, and to celebrate what you and your team have built.

If you ask ten people what Australia needs to achieve gender equality, you’ll get ten answers. More affordable childcare. More women in leadership. Zero tolerance for sexual harassment. All true. But there’s another answer that underpins them all: the need for an independent, open bridge between research and policy. We have no shortage of passion or opinion in this space. What we’ve lacked is infrastructure: a way of gathering what we know, checking what actually works, and sharing that knowledge widely. That’s the gap the Hub fills.

The evidence shows how stubborn the patterns can be. Even in 2025, you’re still more likely to find an ASX 200 company CEO named John than one who’s a woman. The gender pay gap may be at an all-time low, but it’s still too high. On screen, analysis from the Geena Davis Institute shows that women are a minority of lead roles. Daughters even receive less pocket money than sons. Much of this reflects systems that quietly tilt the playing field in the wrong direction, from unpaid care that still falls disproportionately on women, to workplaces that reward presenteeism over performance. The challenge is not to moralise about those patterns, but to understand them, and to use data and design to change them.

That’s what excites me about the Gender Equality Evidence Hub. It shares the same philosophy that led us to establish the Australian Centre for Evaluation. Both rest on the idea that better decisions come from better evidence. The Centre works across government to test policies rigorously and build a culture of learning. The Hub brings that same spirit to gender equality. Both are built on a simple faith: that fairness and effectiveness go hand in hand when we’re willing to look the evidence squarely in the eye.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP 
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury 

Opinion Piece

Success requires innovation

Published in The West Australian

13 November 2025

Mining has helped shape modern Australia. It has supported regional communities, strengthened our export earnings, and contributed to the public services Australians rely on. It remains our most productive sector. For every hour worked, mining produces more economic value than any other part of the economy. That is not because miners work longer hours, but because the sector has consistently embraced technology, world-class engineering and coordinated logistics at extraordinary scale.

As the global economy shifts, mining’s role changing. The world is reworking energy systems and expanding supply chains for the minerals that underpin electrification. Global partners are asking where they can source these materials reliably and responsibly. Australia has an important role to play. We have geological abundance, strong institutions and a reputation for meeting contract obligations. These advantages do not guarantee future success. They are starting points that must be reinforced by continued innovation, training and investment.

Mining productivity has never been static. Between 2011 and 2017, mining productivity grew significantly as companies invested in automation and systems integration. Remote operations centres allowed teams in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide to coordinate equipment hundreds of kilometres away. Autonomous haul trucks and real-time data monitoring reshaped how mines were run. Yet in recent years, productivity has declined. Higher input costs, supply chain disruptions and labour shortages have all played a role. This variation is not unusual. Productivity tends to rise when new capital and new technology mature. It slows when cost pressures tighten or when operations become more geologically complex. The question is how to position the sector to capture the next wave of growth.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP 
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury 

The Productivity Beneath Our Feet: Mining’s Role in Australia’s Economic Future 

Energy and Minerals Tax Conference 2025,
Brisbane 

Thursday, 13 November 2025

Thank you for the invitation to speak today. I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we meet, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and pay respects to Elders past and present. I also recognise the many First Nations people whose lands underpin Australia’s resources industry.

Mining takes place on Country. That brings responsibilities. Across the sector, companies and communities are working together on land use agreements, cultural heritage protection, jobs pathways, procurement partnerships and joint ventures. There is more to do, and expectations are rightly high. Strong relationships with Traditional Owners are central to earning and maintaining the social licence that underpins long-term operations and shared economic benefit.

Mining has shaped modern Australia. It has supported generations of workers and communities. It has helped build export markets. It has underpinned national revenue, infrastructure and public services. Mining is the most productive sector in our economy. For every hour worked, mining generates more economic value than any other sector, reflecting advanced technology, skilled labour and the capacity to organise complex operations at scale.

When we talk about the future of the Australian economy, mining is vital to the conversation. Not only because it comprises a large share of national output, but because of the scale of the opportunities ahead. The world is shifting its energy systems. Supply chains are being redesigned. Demand for critical minerals is rising. And global expectations around environmental responsibility and reliability in supply are increasing, not declining.

In that context, Australia has genuine strategic advantages: stable institutions, geological abundance, deep technical expertise, and a reputation as a dependable trading partner. The question for us is how to use these advantages to expand economic opportunity, strengthen competitiveness and support long-term prosperity.

Today I want to explore three themes.

First, mining as a driver of productivity and economic dynamism.

Second, innovation as the engine of mining’s next phase.

Third, the government’s role in supporting investment, capability and future growth.

The argument is straightforward. The next decade will offer substantial opportunities for Australia’s mining sector. Our task, together, is to ensure that the sector is positioned to seize them.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
TV INTERVIEW
ABC AFTERNOON BRIEFING WITH PATRICIA KARVELAS
TUESDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2025

SUBJECTS: Four-year parliamentary terms, energy prices, productivity and non-competes, Air T’s acquiring of Rex, housing, Nauru

PATRICIA KARVELAS: To the government now. Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition and Charities and joins me now. Hello!

ANDREW LEIGH: G’day Patricia, great to be with you.

PATRICIA KARVELAS: I want to start where it ended, because thematically it makes sense to me, although I don’t think it’s the biggest thing that’s happening in the country right now but I do want to ask you, John Howard reckons that your Prime Minister, our Prime Minister, the country’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should do a deal essentially with Sussan Ley and agree to try and push this four-year parliamentary term. Do you think that’s a good idea, that it should be pursued?

ANDREW LEIGH: Well, Labor’s got a longstanding commitment to four-year terms. We of course took it to a referendum in 1988 and it was voted down because the Coalition then decided to pursue cheap political opportunism rather than national interest. We’ve now got a situation where every state and territory has moved to four-year terms and it’s the Commonwealth that’s looking the odd one out. So, yes it would be in the interest of the country. It would allow more stability having fixed terms. It would also take away some of the uncertainty. But of course, it requires bipartisan support to get through at a referendum. And unless we’re locked in with that bipartisan support, I don’t think there’d be any point in trying.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
2CC RADIO CANBERRA, BREAKFAST WITH STEPHEN CENATIEMPO
TUESDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2025

SUBJECTS: Net Zero, bulk billing, antisemitism

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: Alright let's talk federal politics with the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and the Member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh. Andrew, good morning.

ANDREW LEIGH: Good morning, Stephen. I'm surprised. I thought you'd be going for the former 2CC host as leader of the Canberra Liberals.

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: I call it how I see it Andrew, and I imagine the more sensible people on your side of politics know that without a viable Opposition, you're not going to be the best government you can be either.

ANDREW LEIGH: That's right, certainly a good Opposition is essential to democracy. And yes, sadly at a federal and ACT level, the Liberals are more concerned about themselves than about the people.

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: Yeah, it's one of those things that will annoy the electorate more than anything is when you talk about yourself and not about them. And you know, if we look at what's going on federally at the moment, all of the focus is on net zero. And now I imagine you and I are going to disagree on the policy of net zero, but all of the polling says it's not even registering with voters. They're worried about cost of living, cost of living, cost of living.

ANDREW LEIGH: Well, it's become a proxy as to whether you're serious about climate change and you know, of course, people know that Scott Morrison put in place the net zero policy in October 2021 alongside over 70 percent of the world's GDP and emissions, every business group in Australia and every State and Territory. So, you are stepping a long way outside the mainstream when you're against net zero.

STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: But isn't that the problem with this debate that it has become a proxy for action on climate change because it's not ‑ even you've got to admit there's more than one way to skin a cat?

ANDREW LEIGH: Oh, absolutely. But you know, I'm speaking to a Minerals Council of Australia event on Thursday and the mining industry is committed to net zero. You know, this is hardly a far-left communist plot; this is a mainstream policy accepted by conservatives in countries like Britain, Germany and New Zealand, and which…

The Hon Suzanne Orr MLA
Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water 

The Hon Chris Bowen MP
Minister for Climate Change and Energy

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
Member for Fenner

Neighbourhood batteries power up as part of Big Canberra Battery Project

10 November 2025

The ACT Government is building the energy infrastructure our growing city needs to reach net zero with the launch of the Casey Neighbourhood Battery.

The launch marks another important milestone in the rollout of the Big Canberra Battery Project and the ACT’s energy transition as we electrify our city.

The Casey Neighbourhood Battery has an energy-storage capacity of 225kWh and a maximum power output of 110kW, which can power up to 86 nearby households that are connected to the electrical sub-station adjacent to the battery.

The battery joins similar batteries in Dickson and Fadden, forming a growing network of neighbourhood-scale energy storage solutions across the ACT.

Delivered in partnership with Evoenergy, these three batteries are part of the ACT Government’s Big Canberra Battery project and are funded through the Australian Government’s Community Batteries for Household Solar Program. Additional funding has also been provided by Evoenergy to support the installation of these batteries.

The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC RADIO CANBERRA, AFTERNOONS WITH ALICE MATTHEWS
MONDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2025

SUBJECTS: Albanese Government helping farmers and fresh food suppliers get a fairer deal when selling to supermarkets

ALICE MATTHEWS: ABC Radio Canberra, this is Afternoons and we know that Coles and Woolies are among the most profitable supermarkets in the world. The big question being, how do we tackle their market dominance? A couple of hours ago, the federal government announced the launch of a new program that they say will help fresh produce suppliers stand up to these big supermarkets by providing $2 million in grants to address this market power imbalance via education programs. Dr Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury. Dr Leigh, good afternoon to you.

ANDREW LEIGH: Good afternoon Alice, great to be with you.

ALICE MATTHEWS: Walk me through the details of what you've announced this morning?

ANDREW LEIGH: Well, last year we toughened up the supermarket code of conduct. Under the Coalition it had no penalties. Under Labor it now has multi-million-dollar penalties for supermarkets who do the wrong thing by suppliers. We want suppliers to be informed of their rights and able to go toe-to-toe with the big supermarkets in order to get a fair deal for farmers. These grants will allow those suppliers to fully enforce the new rights that they have, thanks to Labor and the new mandatory supermarket code.

ALICE MATTHEWS: And when you say suppliers, you're talking about the farmers here?