Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. If the Prime Minister were to take up the opportunity I have offered, I would take him to visit families in the electorate of Lalor, families who in some suburbs are on an average income of $52,000 a year—for the household. I would introduce him to some people who he may not notice cleaning his office during the day, but who have cleaning positions across my electorate, and I would let him sit face to face with them to hear about what is required in the minimum wage. I would sit with him while he spoke to people who are struggling with the rise in healthcare costs and who are struggling with the rise in electricity prices; the rise in electricity prices that the Prime Minister likes to talk about a lot but then—in this submission—demonstrates that he does not understand the impact of that rise—or that he does not want to put more money in the pockets of those who work for the least in this country.

As I have said, for those who live in ideal, nuclear families on high incomes, whose children put their pocket money away to go overseas: I hope they enjoy the trip. But that is not the reality for many, many people in my electorate, nor across this country. Their failure to recognise their privilege is dangerous, because they are ignoring the reality for the many middle- and working-class Australian families that many of us in this place represent. I am reminded this morning that this should not be a surprise, although it is. It is a surprise that this submission could have gone forward. It takes me back to the coalition's notions that poor people don't drive cars; that young people should get good parents; or—the newest version—that if you are female and single and want to have a family, you should find yourself a rich husband, Deputy Speaker! I will finish on something I learnt very young, when my father passed away: sometimes blokes die. Women deserve the ability to put a roof over their heads, pay the bills and raise their children.

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