Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. How is the Albanese Labor government responding to the economic times and delivering tax cuts for Australians who live in our regions?

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the wonderful member for Paterson for the question and the amazing work she does in her electorate, where 75,000 taxpayers will receive, on average, a tax cut of $1,500. That's 87 per cent of taxpayers in the electorate of Paterson who will be better off under Labor's tax cuts.

I'm proud to be part of a government that puts everyday Australians—most importantly, those who live in our regions—at the forefront of decision-making. We want to make a real difference to people living in our regions. We want people to earn more and to keep more of what they earn. We have delivered. People across regional Australia will receive a tax cut on 1 July. Labor's tax cuts mean that a water and sewer apprentice in Roma on $42,000 a year will receive a tax cut of $714—they wouldn't have received a tax cut under the plan from those opposite. Under Labor's tax cuts, a hardworking first year teacher in Deniliquin on $95,000 will receive a tax cut of $2,054; and a dairy farmer in Harvey, Western Australia, on $67,000 a year will see a tax cut of $1,354. Those opposite want to see people work longer for less in our regions, while we want to see people earn more and keep more of what they earn.

I hear directly from Aussies around the country when I travel in my capacity as Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. I listen to communities and I talk to them about the things they want to see and the actions that they want our government to take. I've said it before and I'll say it again: people in regional Australia are seeing more from this government than they did from those opposite in 10 years. We have tripled the bulk billing incentive. Under our plans, 660,000 people and small businesses have had upgrades to their NBN connections. We've seen more mobile phone black spot towers rolling out—life-saving upgrades in our regions. We've helped 13,000 people get into their first home with the Regional First Home Buyers Guarantee. We've made early childhood education cheaper for 1.26 million families, including 265,000 families in regional Australia. Not to mention backing a wage increase for those on minimum wages through Fair Work and a 15 per cent pay rise for aged care workers across our communities. The Albanese Labor government is committed to delivering for our regions. We're committed to delivering tax cuts for every Australian worker, and we want them to earn more and keep more of what they earn.