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

Waiters, retail assistants, cleaners, receptionists and hairdressers. What do these professions have in common? Under the coalition's tax plan, they would have got next to nothing in cost-of-living relief. Let that sink in. Workers on the minimum wage would have got almost nothing to help with the cost of living under the tax plan devised by those opposite. Contrast that with the Labor government's plan. We are providing a tax cut for all Australian taxpayers. We also advocated for three minimum-wage rises with the Fair Work Commission.

Put yourself in the shoes of that cleaner working full time on the minimum wage, earning about $45,000 a year. Because of the Albanese Labor government's advocacy, their wage has now gone up by $143 a week. That is more than $7,000 a year in pay rises in just over two years for that worker. And, as of 1 July, they will get an $800-a-year tax cut. Under those opposite, that cleaner would have got nothing. We on this side of the House know that aspiration doesn't start at $80,000 or $100,000 a year. While those opposite like to go on about helping people, we on this side of the House are actually getting on and doing it.