Monique Ryan (Kooyong, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

In less than three months, Australia will elect its 48th parliament. These last three years have seen the worst inflation in more than three decades. Grocery prices are up 30 per cent on 2020 levels. Housing is less affordable than ever before. Rentals are in critically short supply. Two in three Australian households have had to cut back on cooling or heating their homes. One in three households have had to cut back on kids sport or on school excursions. Many are unable to insure their homes or their farms.

We need all politicians in this country to listen to their communities and work together to give them confidence and hope for the future. This has to include a vision for sensitive, evidence based tax reform to address increasing intergenerational inequity. That's something that, as yet, we have not received from any of the major parties in this country. We need a vision on getting a fair return on our fossil fuel and mineral wealth, and we have to use that to make best-practice health, dental, disability and aged-care services accessible to all. We need a vision for making affordable housing a reality for all Australians. We need a vision to make things better, not worse, for the next generation. It has been my greatest privilege to be the member for Kooyong in this term, and, if re-elected, I commit to that vision.

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