Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In my electorate of Tangney, we have so many people crying out loudly about the cost of living. I recently went doorknocking in the leafy suburb of Shelley, overlooking the Swan River. I spoke to many householders, and this was the first concern on people's minds. Once upon a time, $100 could get you pretty far. Now, you pay the same amount of money, but you get a fraction of the value. Tangney is an electorate which is filled with hard workers. Having migrated to the electorate of Tangney when I first came to Australia from Malaysia, my family chose to live in this area because it is full of aspirational people who want to do well and have a comfortable life. As a result, Tangney is seen as being very affluent and privileged in comparison to other areas. But that does not mean that the everyday concern of things being more expensive does not affect them.

Tangney also has a lot of self-funded retirees. They do not benefit from the Commonwealth by accessing the pension, because the value of their assets is too high. But that doesn't mean that they have infinite cash flow. One key benefit which many in my electorate were excited about was the passing of changes to access the Commonwealth's seniors health card. Since November last year, single, self-funded retirees who have reached the government age pension age of 66½ years can now qualify for a concessional senior health card, where their income is $90,000. Couples can get cards where their joint annual income is $144,000. If a couple is separated by illness, this was increased to $180,000. This was so significant, because, under the last government, it was only $57,000 for singles, but now it is $90,000. It was only $92,000 for a couple, but now it is $144,000. It was $115,000 for couples separated by illness, but now, under the Labor government, it is $180,000. I was contacted by so many constituents thanking this Labor government for the expansion of this benefit.

Also for the first time in this 75-year history, the maximum cost of general scripts under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, otherwise known as the PBS, has fallen. Since 1 January 2023, millions of Australians pay almost 30 per cent less for their PBS scripts, with the maximum general co-payment dropping from $42.50 to $30. This amount will then be indexed on the first day of every new year from 1 January 2024. This means that someone taking one medication a month could save as much as $150 every year, or for two or three medications, they could save as much as $300 to $450 a year. Many of my constituents were also extremely happy about these changes.

I doorknocked almost 20,000 houses in every suburb, which the previous member did not do at all. So, when I talk about what our government has delivered for the people to help them with their everyday, I can say with confidence, based on my conversations speaking with everyday Australians within my electorate, a lot.

Our government is serious about delivering our election commitments and easing the cost-of-living pressure left by the former Liberal government. I'm so proud to say we have done it, we will continue to do it, and we, as a team, will deliver a better future for Australians.

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