Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the member for Fowler's matter of public importance. Last month I sent members of my community a survey asking for their thoughts on the cost of living crisis. I did that because it's important to me that I listen to my community, that I understand their values and their concerns and that I act on them in this place. We're still compiling the more than 3,500 responses we have received, but I would like to share some of those responses with the House.

When I asked my community about their greatest concern regarding the rising cost of living, the most common response, selected by more than a third of the respondents, was that they knew that vulnerable people are facing increasing financial pressures. The most vulnerable people in our community are feeling the cost-of-living crisis the most. While the stage 3 tax cuts are welcome, many of the one in three Australians who do not pay income tax, are still struggling to pay their bills, their rent or their mortgage.

As a matter of priority in the May budget, the government should double the Commonwealth rental assistance payment and increase jobseeker to 90 per cent of the age pension, as recommended by the EIAC in 2023. Unemployment benefits are so low that they have become a barrier to many people who would like to re-enter the workforce. You cannot get a job if you can't get to the interview.

The next most common response from my electorate was that people were concerned because costs keep rising and because they themselves are facing financial pressures. The government must do more to alleviate the pressure that middle Australia is experiencing. In an inflationary environment, this urgent priority has to be carefully balanced with the need for responsible economic management, but we can—we must—provide more relief right now. I have been urging the government to abolish the activity test on the childcare subsidy and to guarantee all Australian children access to three days of quality early childhood education and care. That would be good for the economy, good for parents and good for our kids. It would be an invaluable investment in our future.

The third-most-common answer on my community survey was that the residents of Kooyong were concerned that their children were facing unbearable financial pressures. A couple of weeks ago, an older lady came up to me at a Kooyong community forum and told me a story which reflects just how broken our HECS system is. She has four kids; all did well. They went to university. But all four of them have significant HECS debts. Her fourth child studied locally in the electorate to become a pilot and he now works in the Northern Territory. He has a great job, he flies sick kids in from remote communities to the Darwin Hospital and then takes them home. It is important work but it does not pay well. He finished his university studies with a debt in excess of $120,000. Over the years, his HECS debt has climbed, and it is now over $150,000 and is increasing faster than he can pay it off. He cannot get a home loan. His mum has gone back to work in a retail job to help her son pay off his HECS debt.

Young Australians are facing a housing crisis, a cost-of-living crisis and a climate crisis. They should not face a HECS crisis as well. Less than two weeks ago, I put up a petition asking the government to change the way that HECS debts are indexed, so that they are indexed to whichever is lower—the consumer price index or the wage price index. This is a simple and modest proposal which would help many young Australians get on top of their HECS debts. The petition has now been signed by more than 200,000 people. In fact, 217,000 people as about 10 minutes ago. This has struck a chord and I'm not surprised. Younger Australians are facing a housing crisis. They are facing a cost-of-living crisis. They are facing a climate crisis. And we are presenting them with a HECS crisis as well.

This government has not done enough to help us all get through the current cost-of-living crisis. My community has made its thoughts clear, and I am making my priorities for the upcoming budget clear to this government. I sincerely hope that it listens. I commend this motion to the House.

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