Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for McEwen for his question—and what a fantastic local member he is. Of course, like the member for McEwen, Labor understand that people are under pressure, and that is why our No. 1 priority is delivering responsible cost-of-living relief. In just a few days' time, significant help rolls out. From 1 July, all 13.6 million Australian taxpayers will get a tax cut. Of course, that includes many low-income earners who those opposite sought to deny those tax cuts to in their plan. From 1 July, 2.6 million low-paid workers will get their third consecutive pay increase backed by this government, because Labor wants people to earn more and keep more of what they earn.

On 1 July, 1.3 million low- and middle-income Australian families receive a boost to their family tax benefit. This boost was regularly denied by those opposite when they were in government. And next week also marks the start of our historic expansion to paid parental leave, with an extra two weeks added to the government scheme from 1 July this year. These families are not double dippers like the coalition would have you believe. They deserve extra support, and we are delivering it.

Our government is also providing more support to pensioners. From 1 July, we're extending the freeze on the social security deeming rate and increasing the income and assets limit, meaning more than a million pensioners will be able to keep more of their payment. We're, of course, also freezing the cost of PBS medicines for every Australian, and we are delivering $300 in energy bill relief for every household next week.

Of course, this is not the end of this relief. The government is delivering—

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