Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Over the last 10 months, the contribution of those opposite to public debate has been more nutty than a Snickers bar. They've suddenly realised that the cost of living is important. They've realised this after nine years of failed government. They didn't care about the cost of living when the opposition leader proposed a GP tax when he was health minister. They didn't care about the cost of living when the opposition leader proposed charging Australians for visits to hospital emergency departments. They didn't care about the cost of living when they kept wages low for a decade as a deliberate part of their economic policy. They didn't care about the cost of living when they sailed penalty rates cuts through, slashing the incomes for young casual workers and shiftworkers. And they certainly didn't care about the cost of living when they created robodebt, a scheme that literally stole the money of vulnerable Australians whose only crime had been to seek a hand from the government in their time of need, but who were then ordered to pay back money regardless of their protests, regardless of their situation, leading, as we are learning, to some tragic outcomes and consequences.

Compare that to the efforts of the Albanese government in the 10 months since we've been in office. One of the first things we did was back in a wage rise for low-paid workers, keeping true to our promise that we would back wage rises for workers. From 1 January this year, we backed in cheaper medicines. Since implementing that policy at the start of this year, people in my electorate of Lyons have been able to save a total of $95,000 on their prescription medications in January and February alone. That's an average saving of $11 per script. It's an immense saving that's here to stay, permanently, under the Albanese government. It's a policy that's putting money back in the pockets of everyday Australians and ensuring they keep more of their pay at the end of the day.

There are other things that we've been doing. Just this week I had the great pleasure of joining with the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health and Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, and the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, to launch the new national framework that will help nurses in rural and remote communities. This framework ensures that we are able to address workforce factors and improve employment and employment retention in the regions for the benefits of those communities. Under the previous government our regional and rural communities were, frankly, ignored time and time again. This framework is the start of what we hope are many great policies and ambitions for our regional and remote communities. We care about regional and rural communities. I am here, and I note the member for Whitlam is at the dispatch box. He's another regional community representative on our side—there are a number on this side. We care about the regions on this side of the House. I can guarantee, people in regional Australia, that you are absolutely better off under this government.

One of the things that's really facing us at the moment—and I note the Greens' housing spokesperson is in the chamber—is that our nation is enduring a housing crisis and more people than ever before are facing homelessness. As the Prime Minister has said—and I implore the Greens—stop arguing against supporting a $10 billion housing and homelessness package because you want more, because the alternative is to have nothing. You are getting in the way of women escaping domestic violence and of veterans and people in vulnerable situations accessing housing sooner. That's what you are getting in the way of.

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