Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Brendon's Quality Meats in my electorate has been serving our community for 42 years. Owner Brendon says he has seen the impact of the rising cost of living on his customers, saying people have been increasingly switching to cheaper meats. Will this out-of-touch Prime Minister finally admit 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 Menzies for his question, and certainly I say to him he can inform Brendon that all of us in this chamber should be aware of the pressures over cost of living. Cost of living is a direct result of the inflationary impact that, in the beginning of March 2022 quarter, before this government was elected, was the highest jump in inflation we have seen this century, of 2.1 per cent. I'm sure Brendon is conscious of that, and I'm sure the member for Menzies would inform Brendon of that accurately. We have taken action, and we know there's more to do. One of the things we've done to take action is on pharmaceuticals, where we've cut the price of PBS medicines from $42.50 down to $30, the first cut in the cost of pharmaceuticals under the PBS in 75 years, since the former Labor government created that.

Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We missed your bill.

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

The member for Barker will cease interjecting across the chamber.

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

We know when those opposite had the opportunity under the Leader of the Opposition as health minister, his idea was to put a tax on people visiting the GP, of $7. His other big idea was to increase the cost of prescriptions by $5. But the other idea he had about cost of living was to remove the restrictions on state and territory governments that prevent hospital emergency departments charging a fee for presentation.

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

I'll hear from 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

On relevance, on 8 February you directed the Prime Minister back to the terms of the question after he spent more than a minute attacking the opposition and not directly engaging with the terms of the question. He's doing the same thing, and I call upon you to rule as you previously did.

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

I'll hear from the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think from recollection that ruling on 8 February was dealing with a question that didn't have a tag nearly as broad as the one that was just asked.

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

The question was about the cost of living—in particular regarding the cost of living, prices rising and a political tag at the end of the question about the Prime Minister's commitments. I'm going to give him the call, and if he is not being relevant he will be drawn back to the question. I'm listening carefully to his answer.

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

I was talking about the cost of living, and imagine the cost-of-living increases if the former health minister, the now Leader of the Opposition, had had his way and removed the restrictions on state and territory governments—having, in hospital emergency departments, to pay a fee to visit.

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

That's all you've got—really?

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

Now, the deputy leader says, 'Is that all you've got?'

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

Members on my left will cease interjecting.

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

They show contempt for the issue of the costs of health care and how important they are to the cost of living. The same people who were opposed and are still opposed to the $1½ billion we have for energy price relief to take pressure off the cost of living come in here and just show how out of those they are and how they're against absolutely any initiative that is put forward. (Time expired)