Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are more mums in Point Cook, in my electorate, than in any other suburb in Australia. It was the perfect place to host new families from Melbourne's west at my Welcoming the Babies event at the Saltwater Community Centre last week. We all know that being a new parent is both rewarding and challenging. Our Welcoming the Babies event allowed new parents to connect with each other, with local support groups and with local government support services in our community that are there to help. I want to thank everyone who participated in making the event a success: Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia, the Dil ki Baat women's group, Safety Seats, Tweddle Child and Family Health Service, the Australian Breastfeeding Association, Baby Presents, Wyndham City Council Maternal and Child Health Services, Services Australia and St John Ambulance Victoria.

The Albanese government knows that the early years are the most important part of a child's life. We're supporting families to give children the best possible start, from expanding access to cheaper child care to delivering a wage rise for early childhood educators while keeping fees low for families. I know that it's been a tough time for families in our community. That's why the top priority of our government has been delivering responsible cost-of-living relief that doesn't add to inflation. Every family at the Welcoming the Babies event—indeed, every family in my community, from Newport to Point Cook, from Williamstown to Truganina—has been benefiting from cost-of-living relief measures introduced by our government.

We want Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn. Our tax cuts have increased the pay packets of 84,000 workers in my electorate by an average of $1,676. A family with a combined income of $120,000 will pocket an extra $2,300 a year, making a real difference to household budgets. Low-income workers have received three consecutive pay rises, including big rises for people in the care economy, like aged-care workers and childcare workers. Investing in and respecting the work of early childhood educators and carers will ensure that we continue to attract the best people to these sectors and we continue to deliver quality learning and care during the important early years.

We're also delivering energy bill relief for every family, providing a $300 energy rebate for every household in Melbourne's west. We've also frozen the cost of PBS listed medicines—a big win for families. This means no-one will pay more than $32 for a script, and those with a pension or concession card won't pay more than eight dollars for the next five years. Australian families have already saved $525 million as a result. We've also strengthened Medicare, making it easier to see a bulk-billing doctor so new families can get the health care they need. Our actions have enabled an estimated two million additional free visits to doctors and are helping to take the pressure off families in Melbourne's west.

I'd like to thank all the families, community organisations and services who brightened the day by coming along to the Welcoming the Babies event, despite the rather typical Melbourne weather. I'll get to work on more face painting and storybooks right away and look forward to welcoming the newest members of our family again next year.