Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, that's right. If the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberals are filthy about inflation now, then they must be livid with the position that they left this incoming Labor government in. Under the Liberals, inflation was going up faster than green grass through a goose. Not only that but it had a six in front of it, with an out-of-control net policy spend.

The suggestion that our cost-of-living relief for Australians is the primary driver of prices in a $2.6 trillion economy is absolutely absurd. Our net policy spend in 2023-24 is small in comparison to the size of our $2.6 trillion economy. What we have done is strike the right balance between our most recent budget, which provides assistance to millions of Australians, and the two that came before it. Our cost-of-living relief is helping Australians right across this country. So, for the benefit of the opposition, because I know they don't listen—this is, what, the 50th time that we've had this MPI—our cost-of-living relief is helping Australians right across the board.

Let's go through a few of those cost-of-living measures that are helping Australians. We're freezing the cost of PBS listed medications, which is making sure that Australians can receive the medications that they need so their chronic illnesses aren't exacerbated and they don't end up in our emergency departments. Let's talk about our bulk-billed urgent care clinics. If you're too sick for the GP and not sick enough for the emergency department, you now have a place to go. The Labor Party in this country has created not only a new medical speciality but a new model of care that is known the world over but is now right here on the shores of Australia because of this Albanese Labor government.

Let's talk about energy bill relief, which is not just for households and not just for people but also for small businesses. This is another way that this federal Labor government is backing our business community. Small businesses are the backbone of this country. I know because my parents are small-business owners. They are the backbone of this country, and they employ a significant number of people.

Let's also talk about the big one. Let's talk about a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer. That is for tens of thousands of people in the electorate of Robertson. That is for millions of people across Australia. This is just a short list of the cost-of-living measures that this federal Labor government is providing to Australians, and we will continue to serve the people as we have always done.

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