Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

We do understand the pressure that many households are facing with their budgets with increasing interest rates, and easing the pressure on the cost of living is one of the first priorities of this government. It's why we've increased the minimum wage. It's why, this week, we have two bills in the parliament which are about making medicines cheaper and child care more affordable.

But let me make this point. In terms of the pressures that people are facing in managing their household budgets, a critical pressure is in relation to energy prices, and that is in no small part due to a lost decade of economic reform when it comes to dealing with the question of energy, where they had 22 different energy policies and failed to land one of them.

Now, dealing with the cost of living is core business for this government. Our position on tax is very clear; it hasn't changed. But what Australians know is that, in this government, they have a government which is going to fight for their household budget.

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