Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Well, that wasn't the tightest question that I have heard in this place but I will do my best and I am sure that it will be relevant. The fact is, when we came to office, real wages were going down and now they are going up. Four quarters in a row they have gone up, not by accident but by design, just as they went down by design as a key feature of the economic architecture of those opposite. Under this Labor government, wages are going up as a result of our deliberate design, our policy, our legislation. Whether it be same job, same pay or whether it be specifically dealing with those sectors that were struggling to keep workers—let alone attract workers—such as early childhood education and aged care workers, we have made a substantial difference.

In terms of the question that was asked about costs and cost of living, the fact is the measures that we have introduced have all been opposed by those opposite. Whether it be cheaper medicines, more bulk-billing, energy rebates, cheaper child care, tax cuts for every single Australian worker and taxpayer, they have all been opposed by those opposite.

We know people are under pressure. We know there's more to do. The difference between us and them is that they acknowledge that people are under pressure but want it to be worse. They want no support for them and no cost-of-living relief. They want lower wages and higher inflation.

Those opposite also wouldn't have assisted by producing budget surpluses. How do we know that? Because there projections were there—a $78 billion deficit. They produced a budget in March, just two months before the election, which just showed red ink forever, with no budget surpluses. We have worked hard through the Expenditure Review Committee to make a difference—to bank any of the upward figures being forecast, but to make a difference.

The real question those opposite have to answer is: how would any Australian have been better off under them? Would they have been better off with lower wages under them, more expensive medicines, less bulk-billing, fewer houses, less rent assistance, no free TAFE, no HECS debt relief and a privatised NBN? Those opposite have no positive plans whatsoever—just reckless arrogance in their approach to the pressures that Australians are under. We're about acknowledging it but doing something about it. (Time expired)

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