Marion Scrymgour (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before I start, I want to talk about the hypocrisy of the opposition. Some of us on this side remember the Tampa. I certainly remember the Minasa Bone and other boats that came in through the Tiwi Islands and the shambolic way in which the Liberal minister dealt with those issues at that time. Part of that was to excise all of the waters in the Top End or around the coast from classification as Australian.

On this side, Labor has worked hard to help Australians with the cost of living. That's what we want to know about. We fight for and care for everyday Australians with regard to the cost of living. We know there is still more to do, particularly in regional and remote Northern Territory, my electorate, with tax cuts and energy rebates. A lot of students are in regional Northern Territory, and wiping student debts is really important. The Labor budget is delivering cost-of-living relief for every Australian, particularly including my constituents in Lingiari. Cost of living continues to be a major concern for us in the Territory, particularly across my electorate of Lingiari.

From 1 July, Labor delivered a tax cut, and it's been great getting around the electorate and talking to people who have done their tax returns and who will be getting some money back from doing their tax. People living in my area of regional and remote Lingiari are no different from others who are looking forward to some of that cost-of-living relief. There are 43,000 taxpayers in Lingiari, enjoying an average tax cut of around $1,621. It doesn't matter who you are or what you earn; every taxpayer will pay less tax.

On the cost of living, my constituents are feeling pressure from higher global energy prices. From 1 July, we're delivering $300 of energy bill relief for every Australian household, including my residents in Lingiari. We're also providing small business with energy relief of $325, which is good for local business and local consumers. Labor is putting small business at the centre of future growth of our economy by extending for a further 12 months the $20,000 instant asset write-off and talking to a lot of small businesses. They are certainly looking forward to that. On paid parental leave, we are talking to a lot of new parents—particularly women. They are certainly happy with the 26 weeks of paid parental leave with super now included. In the six months before the last election, the financial viability of general practice was in serious trouble. In terms of GP visits being bulk-billed, in my electorate of the Northern Territory, bulk-billing has increased by 4.8 per cent. That's thanks to Labor's investment in strengthening Medicare.

We have also seen with the urgent care clinic—with residents in my electorate of Lingiari and particularly in Alice Springs—10,700 visits to Mparntwe and the Palmerston Medicare urgent care clinics. They have been fantastic clinics that have been established. It certainly takes the burden and eases that burden in terms of accident and emergency. Labor's cost-of-living measures are making a real difference to everyday Australians and particularly to those residents who are doing it tough in my electorate of Lingiari. Our cost-of-living measures are part of Labor's long-term economic plan, helping all Australians right now, and working to bring down inflation and planning a future made in Australia, which is also important for my electorate of Lingiari.

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