Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In 2022 the government passed legislation for cheaper medicines, cheaper child care and energy price relief, to take pressure off families. What is the government doing this year to strengthen our economy, and is there any opposition to these plans?

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

I thank the member for Reid for her question. Indeed, when we were elected, we did hit the ground running. We are a government with a sense of purpose, and that's because, after a wasted decade of delay, denial and inaction, Australians wanted solutions, and that is what we are delivering. I am asked about what we're doing this year with legislation to make a difference. Of course, there are three pieces of legislation that are before this parliament: the Housing Australia Future Fund, affordable housing, housing for veterans, housing for women escaping domestic and family violence, housing for front-line workers; the National Reconstruction Fund, supporting Australian manufacturing, secure jobs, dealing with supply chain challenges; and the safeguards mechanism, providing business with certainty and ending the climate wars, which is why it's supported by the business community across the board. Across the board, all of those policies are supported by the sectors.

Those opposite come here and ask about the challenges that we're facing. Well, they say no to every solution. Having presided over the creation of the problems, they say no to the solutions—no to affordable housing, no to housing for veterans, no to housing for women and children escaping domestic violence, no to secure jobs, no to manufacturing, no to industries in our regions, no to energy price relief, no to ending the climate wars. They don't have amendments. They don't have ideas. They just say no.

At a time when Australians want us to come together and offer real solutions, those opposite offer nothing but cynical, negative politics. Making Tony Abbott look positive is what they are doing. We're investing in making things here in Australia, in value-adding. Those opposite are determined to add no value at all, either in industry or in this chamber. We're investing to make sure that Australians have a roof over their head. Those opposite are determined to slam the door on them. We're investing in ending the climate wars and moving Australia forward, giving business the certainty that it needs. Those opposite are stuck in the past, and they want us to all go back there and join them. The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate has a different view. He said this week:

I think it's in Australia's interest for us to try to have greater policy certainty in the long run there.

He argued for the safeguard mechanism in their team. He said this:

… we need to be making sure that we are as a country leading in terms of our work around emissions reduction, that we are as a parliament trying to provide greater certainty for Australian business for the long run …

He had that to say after the election.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister's time has expired.

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

And on that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.