Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Mr Speaker. Disappointingly, I'm sure he was going to ask a question about our tax package next, Mr Speaker. I'm sure it was going to come.

What we have been trying to address is the cost-of-living pressures, including on the people that the member for Indi raises. They were particularly beneficiaries of our rental increase, the largest increase in some 30 years. They benefited from the increase in JobSeeker and other payments that we introduced as part of our last budget. They benefited, certainly, from the cheaper medicines policy, where Australians benefited to the tune of $250 million last year—and that was, of course, disproportionally towards low-income earners and particularly older Australians who are on those regular pharmaceuticals, whether it be for heart treatment or diabetes or other treatments.

In addition to that, the government will continue to consider, as we've said, in the lead-up to the May budget what further measures we can put in place. The parenting payment difference, of course, benefited 57,000 largely single mums as a result of the changes we've put in place.

We'll continue to examine what we can do, but these tax cuts are particularly aimed at middle Australia. We make no apologies for that. They are aimed at middle Australia to provide them with the relief— (Time expired)

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