Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last night's budget was a great Labor budget that delivers for all Australians, living in all of our electorates. It delivers tax cuts for all taxpayers, including 66,000 taxpayers in my electorate. It delivers energy relief for all households and delivers for small business as well. It delivers an increase to the maximum amount of rent assistance that people can receive, up an extra 10 per cent. Six thousand-plus households in my electorate will benefit from this change. It also cuts student debt by more than $3 billion across the country. That will help about 17,000 people in my electorate with their HECS-HELP debt. It helps pensioners and concession card holders by freezing what they'll pay for their medication for the next five years.

On top of all of that, one of the other measures that I wish to highlight adds superannuation to government-funded paid parental leave, which is a measure welcomed by many in my electorate. We know that people in Australia are doing it tough. Households are under pressure. That is why our government is delivering responsible cost-of-living change without adding to inflation. This is a great Labor budget that delivers real cost-of-living relief for many in our community, including in my electorate of Bendigo.

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