Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Peter Spillane, an elderly gentleman on a fixed income in my electorate of Herbert has contacted me about the impact of the government's cost-of-living crisis. He told me that he's having to choose between cooking his dinner and turning on his air conditioning because of the spiralling power price increases. Can the Prime Minister inform Mr Spillane when he'll receive the promised $275 cut to his power bill? Why is the Prime Minister so out of touch? Why do Australian families always pay more under Labor?

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

I thank the member for Herbert for his question, and I hope he informed his constituent that he voted against $1½ billion of energy price relief. I hope he also informed his constituent that, when the Queensland government took regulatory action to put a cap on coal prices in order to take pressure off the system, he was also against that, because he voted against cheaper gas prices here in Australia as well, with the cap on gas of $12 that we brought to this parliament. That received the support of the Liberal government in New South Wales and the Labor opposition in New South Wales—which is responsible—and the Queensland government. Indeed, it received the unanimous support of every state and territory government around Australia, both Labor and coalition, because they all understood what the circumstances were that we were dealing with.

We will continue to take action to take pressure off the cost of living. Tomorrow will be 100 days until cheaper child care comes in. On 1 January, cheaper medicines came in. Fee-free TAFE is in place already. We know what those opposite would do if they had the chance, if they had to deal with these issues, because we've seen what they've done before. The Leader of the Opposition's biggest idea was a tax on GP visits, which would see the cost of visiting a GP rise by $7. But it wasn't just that. Not only did he not reduce the cost of prescriptions but his big idea was to raise the cost of prescriptions by $5. No wonder he was seen as Australia's worst health minister.

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

Order! The Prime Minister will pause. Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?

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

I want to hear what he has to say.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! So do I.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! Members on my right will cease interjecting immediately. I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

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

It's a point of order on relevance. It was a very specific question about the member for Herbert's constituent. The Prime Minister is now meandering into matters of history. If he doesn't have an answer on the difficulties the member's constituent is facing, he should cease—

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

Resume your seat. The question started with the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and was about choices of where to spend and the constituent's bills. I give the call to the Prime Minister.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! I'm going to hear from the Prime Minister, and I'll make sure he is in order. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I am talking about the cost of living, because not only was the GP tax going to be imposed but there was a rise in the cost of prescriptions that was a part of the budget process as well. There's another idea that's been forgotten a little bit that the member for Cook had as well: the government will remove the restrictions on state and territory governments that prevent hospital emergency departments charging a fee for presentation. That was this bloke's idea on cost of living. There are some people in this chamber who mightn't remember that, but I do, and that's exactly what he would do if ever he had the opportunity to have his hand on the budget again. (Time expired)