Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Flinders for raising this important topic today about the increasing costs under the Labor government—not just the Queensland Labor government but the federal Labor government. What you hear from those opposite is all blame: 'It's not us, even though we're in power and we've been in power for 10 months, almost a year.' It's everyone else's fault but theirs. The reality is that interest rates are rising, grocery prices are rising, electricity bills and water bills are rising, and people are really being impacted.

Before the last federal election, the member for Lilley put up a Facebook or Instagram post about inflation being five per cent. Guess what? It's now at eight per cent. Why don't you go and post that, Member for Lilley—as well as every other member on that side of the House who won their seat at the last election.

The reality is that this government doesn't have a clue about how to address the cost of living, and the Treasurer should listen to what local people are saying in my seat—people in Deception Bay, like Jason Pratt, who said his grocery bills are now up 40 per cent. This means those who have budgeted $250 and $400 now have to find an extra $100 to $160 a week. Kay Walding, a pensioner in Brackenridge is now finding that she has to keep dropping more and more off her basic grocery bill—every week, another item let go—and her water bill is also increasing significantly.

It is no surprise, because the stats are showing that utilities have gone up eight to 10 per cent in the last 10 months, since the Albanese Labor government came to power. Gas prices have increased by as much as 70 per cent. Grocery prices right around the country have gone up 10 per cent, with fruit and vegetables hiked up by 9½ per cent, bread and cereal up by 12 per cent, meat and seafood up by over eight per cent as well, and dairy related products up by 15 per cent. And what did Labor do when they came to office? They increased the tax on petrol and diesel, making that even harder for people as well.

Barbara Johnstone in Burpengary East reached out to me, angry that her son saved for years to buy a house and is now, quite frankly, priced out of the market. After saving for years, he found he was already unable to afford a standalone house, but now he is completely priced out because interest rates have gone up 90 per cent. The increase was 10 per cent under the previous government. It's 90 per cent under this government. Labor candidates were running around the country putting up social media posts saying it's now $400 extra a month. Guess what? The average mortgage now has doubled: it's $2,100 a month. Go and post that, Labor members. But they won't, because they have no idea what the local people are doing and they've got no answer to how they're going to address it.

Brooke Dutton from Deception Bay said, 'It's at the point most people can't afford food. Do you think less than $50 a fortnight is okay for a family of four for food?' They were spending $200 a fortnight but, with all the extra costs, can now only spend $50 a fortnight. Lisa Turner said, 'Definitely doubled in the past few months'—not the past 10 months; the past few months. Brittney from Griffin said, 'We are roughly paying $450 per week for two adults and two children—used to be $300 to $350.' Rachel Cook said, 'Massive change—it's crazy.' Alliana Zadie-Jane said: 'People can't afford staples and that takes a toll on their health. They are now lining up at hospital for diet related illnesses.' Chelsea Robke said: 'A big change. We used to pay around $120 for a big shop and now it's closer to $200.' Caitlyn Griffiths said, 'A family of 10 used to pay $400, and we're now looking at $600 a week under Labor.'

Cosette Heazlewood said: 'We used to spend $180 to $220. Now we scrape in at $280—choosing cheaper meals and not splurging on any treats.' Kalinda Johnston said: 'Used to be $200 max and now we're seeing $350 regularly. It's scary. Cost of living just keeps going up and up.' Kara Morgan from Griffin used to spend $450 a month and is now paying $300 a week. Single mum Renee Jardine, who is parenting a child with special needs, is spending an extra $40 to $50 a week, which means she is no longer able to eat fish or red meat. Marion Carey from Deception Bay said: 'Everything has gone up from $1 to $3. Put on top of a family trolley are the bills, interest rates and utilities. Families are struggling.' For Amanda Shaw and her two kids, as well as her two pets, it has gone up to $300 to $350 week without meat.

Labor are failing the Australian people. They're full of excuses. Watch this bloke get up now and give a whole lot of excuses for why they can't deliver what they promised.

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