Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

In a difficult year for inflation, which was 7.8 per cent in 2022, the biggest contribution in quarterly terms was the March quarter, when those opposite were in office.

When it comes to the cost of living and the additional pressure placed on Australians and on the Australian economy by higher interest rates, one of the most important things we can do as a government is to clean up the mess that the member for Hume left of our energy markets. Question after question from those opposite about people who are doing it tough in this community ignore a very basic fact that, when we asked the parliament to help people out and make their electricity bills a bit cheaper, they voted against it.

Honourable members interjecting—

See this speech in context