Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

When Labor came into government last year, we knew Australia was facing a period of economic uncertainty and global uncertainty. We know Australians are doing it tough and that's why we have been working hard at finding solutions to this cost-of-living crisis. Global oil production cuts, the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East are contributing to price pressures globally and here at home, and many Australians are seeing the impact at the bowser.

The Albanese government is providing help to ease some of the pressure on people, at the same time as it will help ease inflation in our economy. We all know that with inflation, it means that every dollar a person earn travels a smaller distance. The centrepiece of our second budget, of Treasurer Jim Chalmers' second budget, was the $14.6 billion cost-of-living package designed to ease pressures on Australians while putting downward pressure on inflation—not a cash splash. It was carefully designed.

Our measures include spending $4.9 billion to increase the base rate of several working-age and student income support payments, like the JobSeeker payment and youth allowance, by $40 per fortnight for eligible recipients. We're extending eligibility for the existing higher rate of the JobSeeker payment to single Australians aged 55 to 59 years who've been on the payment for nine or more continuous months to match that applying to those over 60. And we've expanded eligibility to single parents who are principal carers whose youngest child is under 14 years of age, the majority of whom are women. Most sensible people realise this is a policy we needed to get right.

Changes to pharmacy maximum dispensing quantities has reduced the cost of medicines by up to half for at least six million Australians—something that the coalition voted against. Some patients have already received two months worth of their medicines after a visit to their pharmacy. This measure will actually save $1.6 billion in out-of-pocket costs over four years. We also introduced legislation for cheaper child care that will help 1.26 million Australian families. And we've provided relief on electricity bills, in partnership with state and territory governments, through the Energy Bill Relief Fund to take pressure off households and small businesses. And again, those opposite voted against it. It's good to see that some of the injection of renewable energy into the energy grid is now starting to lower prices—maybe not at the retail point yet, but the energy market is certainly starting to have some of the pressure taken off.

From 1 November, we've seen our 10-point cost-of-living plan ramp up, which includes tripling the bulk-billing incentive, which has made it easier for more than 11 million Australians to see a bulk-billing doctor with no out-of-pocket costs. This is the largest investment in bulk-billing incentives since Medicare was introduced by Labor to Australians. It's obviously designed to try to keep up with those cost-of-living pressures. We don't want them worrying about finding affordable medical care while making decisions about sick kids and the like. And we don't want people going to emergency departments. We want people to use our GPs.

Although it was six months late because of the Greens, our Housing Australia Future Fund started on 1 November to support the delivery of 20,000 social homes and 10,000 affordable homes across the country. The Housing Australia Future Fund adds to the work of the $3 billion New Homes Bonus and the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator.

As someone with a wonderful TAFE in Acacia Ridge, which is in my electorate, I was very pleased to hear that our plan to train, retrain or upskill Australians and tackle the skills shortages that so many businesses are complaining about is a raging success with 180,000 fee-free places filled within six months. It means that more people can afford to be well trained for secure jobs in the future and, obviously, it doesn't add to inflation.

One in four jobs in Australia are linked to trade. It's important as a trading nation that we make sure we get the settings right—especially when it comes to dealing with China, our biggest trading partner. A quarter of our trade jobs are linked to China, so we know we've got to get the setting right. We need a good relationship with our biggest trading partner because it helps our workers and it helps our farmers to keep their jobs. Last year, the trade of those industries that had impediments placed on them during the term of the coalition government was worth around $86 million. Under the Albanese government—under Senator Penny Wong's leadership as the foreign minister and under Prime Minister Albanese—these figures have gone up to $6 billion, and that doesn't include wine and barley.

Our investment in renewables, like the $11 million to back in Australian solar technology developers to manufacture the world's most efficient solar modules, means we're making cleaner and cheaper solar energy even more affordable while creating jobs right here at home. Investments like this, and Labor's National Reconstruction Fund, are about making more things here, which means more jobs and avoiding those supply chain issues that we saw during COVID.

The government's closing loopholes workplace relations reforms aim to close those loopholes that undermine pay and conditions, which basically had been flatlining for nine years under the coalition. Our closing loopholes legislation means that every worker can enjoy the pay and conditions they deserve, rather than being undercut by a person doing the same job alongside them. Whether it's bulk billing, energy rebates, cheaper medicines, cheaper child care, better working conditions or better wages, we're doing everything we can to responsibly ease the cost-of-living pressures facing the people of Moreton and the people of Australia.

Sadly, we don't see a positive plan from those opposite. We haven't seen a positive plan come out of the member for Dickson. He's very good at saying no—he's an expert at saying no—but he doesn't have a positive plan. In the last few days, we have started to see a world of gutter politics emerge—to the extent that some of those opposite are bringing out the furniture to make themselves comfortable because they feel they're going to be there for a very long time. That's not what the nation needs. When there's a cost-of-living crisis, you need leadership, and that's what the Albanese Labor government is demonstrating.

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