Jodie Belyea (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to speak on this matter of public importance to point out some obvious mistruths by those opposite. Firstly, it's the notion that things were better when those opposite were last in office. When Labor came to office, inflation was high and rising, real wages were going backwards and the budget was weighed down by a mountain of debt and waste. Tackling inflation is a tough challenge. There's no quick fix, and those opposite know it. We know CPI indicators can fluctuate, but let me be clear: without Labor's cost-of-living relief, inflation would be even higher.

Whilst the opposition plays politics with the serious global inflation that has impacted Australians, we have got on with the task of providing targeted cost-of-living relief whilst delivering record jobs growth, bringing inflation down and reducing debt by $177 billion. When our government was elected, inflation had a six in front of it, but now inflation has a two in front of it, easing the pressure on household finances. Our efforts have been substantial across every area. This time last year, when I was campaigning for the by-election in Dunkley, we announced tax cuts for every taxpayer. Now every Australian taxpayer has a tax cut, making a real difference for 13.6 million Australians and ensuring that hard-working Australians are keeping more of the wages they earn. These tax cuts have been good for Middle Australia, good for women, good for helping with cost-of-living pressures, good for labour supply and good for the economy. There has been $300 in energy bill relief for every household and a $325 rebate for every small business. We have made medicines cheaper, making them more affordable for Australians. We froze the PBS co-payment for five years and expanded the PBS register to include more life-saving medications.

Here in Dunkley, our policies have already saved residents over $2.2 million on prescription costs. For those who need support the most—pensioners and concession cardholders—PBS medications now cost no more than $7.70, ensuring no-one has to choose between health and the household budget. Our cheaper child care policy is delivering cost-of-living relief for more than one million Australian families by cutting out-of-pocket costs. Since cheaper child care came into place, average out-of-pocket costs dropped from $4.22 an hour in June 2023 to $3.66 in June 2024.

One of the areas I love to talk about the most as a past TAFE student —as my colleague from the Hunter knows very well—is free TAFE. It is excellent that it is free. We have supported over 600,000 enrolments into free TAFE, enabling people to get access to the skills and training they need at no cost. If re-elected, we will continue to provide ongoing cost relief by removing financial barriers to education and training, particularly for groups that typically experience economic disadvantage.

I hear from my constituents in my electorate, in Dunkley, at street stalls and during doorknocks about the strain on their household budgets. They're feeling the pressure, but they also understand that inflation is driven by serious global factors. An Australian household with two workers earning an average income would have been around $7,200 worse off under those opposite. If those opposite win the next election, they will take the country backwards and the people of Australia will become worse off. Living standards will go backwards. We know this because, firstly, they have no policy offerings. They have stated they want to reduce spending, pushing wages down, pushing electricity prices up, cutting Medicare to pay for nuclear and, of course—their newest thought bubble—cutting cost-of-living help to pay for long lunches for bosses. We have listened and we have acted. Labor's cost-of-living measures are targeted to support those doing it tough while carefully managing inflationary pressures, delivering real relief while keeping spending under control.

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