Independent senator David Pocock has declared he is not launching a bid for prime minister, using his first speech to the National Press Club to outline plans for a new political collective, this was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

He branded parliament’s question time a “disgrace” and urged a “better standard” of political behaviour among colleagues “to take some of the edge off it”. Pocock made the call after the alleged attack on the independent Indi MP, Helen Haines.

“I want to be part of building a political system that actually delivers for Australians, no matter who is prime minister,” the ACT senator said. He added that his ambition was “much bigger” than the prime ministership and admitted he was already thinking about life after politics: “You can’t do this for ever.”

Pocock called for three key policy reforms:

  • 01A 25% tax on gas exports, which he said could fund anything from boosting welfare to health reforms and aged care.
  • 02A 5% levy on datacentres to capture more benefits from the AI boom.
  • 03Transparency reforms to shine a light on lobbyists, secret meetings with politicians and vested interests.

He said just two months of gas tax revenue would pay for 100,000 home support packages, while prosthetic eyes and noses for cancer victims would be paid for in three hours. Pocock recounted the moment a woman sat sobbing in his office, so destitute on the miserable jobseeker allowance that she ate dog food because she hadn’t eaten meat in so long.

“A 25% gas export tax could help change that, allowing us to have a social security system that keeps people above the poverty line,” he said.

Asked later about calls for budget discipline and cutting spending, Pocock replied instantly: “You can make cuts, or you can grow revenue. I don’t understand why we’re slugging everyday Aussies and yet we’re happy to export gas for free.”

Despite having only one vote in parliament, and no longer holding the Senate balance of power, Pocock has been extraordinarily successful in drawing attention to his key issues. Labor members are not his biggest fans, but he has moulded the gas tax narrative to the point that government MPs’ social media feeds are flooded with comments demanding change.

Pocock’s idea for a new “coalition” of independents was light on detail, but he said he wanted to “build” something alongside communities which were already organising. He suggested an alliance of independents and collectives like the Community Strong movement headlined by Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender, going on to shout out independent tilts in the ACT electorates of Bean, Canberra and Fenner, where his local campaign infrastructure could make a difference, but also the seat of Fisher and even Anthony Albanese’s Grayndler.

The Greens leader, David Shoebridge, has said he wants his party to replace Labor. A Pocock-backed independent in Ferguson, replacing the prime minister in his own seat, would be a whole new level.

“I believe a model of smaller, community interest parties and independents working together in an alliance can succeed here and build the kind of future we want,” Pocock said.

Where that ends up, and if it gets off the ground, will be seen in coming months and years. Just don’t expect to see Pocock – rugby star, conservationist, senator, father – add prime minister to his CV anytime soon.