Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I'm very specifically referring to the exact dataset the shadow Treasurer is asking me about. I've pointed out to him that GDP per capita went backwards for consecutive quarters under those opposite. We have acknowledged, in a number of different ways—from this dispatch box and outside this parliament—that growth in the Australian economy has been very soft and households are doing it tough. People are doing a tough. The point I made at the start of my answer and that I want to reiterate here is that if you care about per capita living standards in this economy, you have two options. One option is to try and help people where you can; that's our approach. The other option is to oppose wage increases and cost-of-living help, which is the approach of those opposite.

In summary, the GDP measure of growth in our economy has been weak under governments of both political persuasions; we acknowledge that. The difference is we are doing something about it. This goes right to the core of the question. On the weekend, when we said that we were going to help students and graduates with student debt, those opposite said they opposed it. The reason they said they opposed it was because it didn't apply to everyone.

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