Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Beyond Blue have reported more people seeking help due to the cost-of-living crisis, with people lurching from one challenge to the next. When asked on Monday whether he could identify a single Australian paying less on their power bills, grocery bills or interest rate, the Prime Minister arrogantly asserted, 'It's been a pretty good 10 months.' Why is the Prime Minister so out of touch and why do Australian families always pay more under Labor?

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

When you remove the hyperbole from that question, it goes to people's mental health issues and it goes to the issues relating to people's standard of living and the pressure that can be placed on them. That is something that I take very seriously. Something that I'm on the record saying is that one of the things that the former government got right was the increased investment in mental health issues. That's something that I have said.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Seriously. It's a controversial issue. It was your decision that you put the time frame on it. But one of the things that my attention is drawn to is the impact on people who have given evidence before the robodebt royal commission, the impact on their mental health of issues which not just took away the money that they had but issued them with massive debts and the pressure that was placed on them. Here's what Felicity de Somerville said: 'I would rather live in my car and be broke and poor than ever use Centrelink again.' This is what Anne Julie said: 'When I got my robodebt I was pregnant and living in a refuge in Canberra after escaping domestic violence. I was working three jobs to stay afloat.'

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

The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on relevance. The Prime Minister was asked about cost of living, power bills, grocery bills, interest rates and the implications of all of this on mental health. He's pivoted a completely different topic.

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

The Prime Minister was asked in the first part of the question regarding a specific charity and mental health. He is talking about those issues, and I'll bring him back to the question if he strays too far.

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

I was asked about the cost of living and the impact on people's mental health. This is evidence that's been given this year about real people and the real impact of what occurred. 'When I got my robodebt I was pregnant and living in a refuge in Canberra escaping domestic violence. I was working three jobs to stay afloat. Because of this debt I was unable to afford medication and was hospitalised.' Axel said this: 'I was worried about how I would eat and whether I could stay in my home. The previous government kicked me in the guts. We need this royal commission so we know who did this to us.' Catherine: 'The previous government needs to be held accountable, because it's immoral for them to impose these debts and then not explain how these debts came to be.'

Not only did the robodebt scandal impose those sorts of conditions on vulnerable people in attacking not just the standard of living but whether they had any money at all to survive. We know that the former member for Aston had this to say:

We'll find you, we'll track you down and you will have to repay those debts and you may end up in prison.

What impact do you think that had on people's mental health?

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The member for Paterson! The Minister for Early Childhood Education will cease interjecting immediately. There is far too much noise. I can barely hear an answer. If this continues, a general warning will be issued for the entire House.