Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Can the Treasurer confirm that since the Albanese government was elected Australian families have suffered a bigger fall in real disposable income per person than any other OECD country?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! We don't need sound effects after a question before the Treasurer begins his answer. The Treasurer has the call.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We understand the pressures on living standards, and that's why we're doing something about them. That's why we're rolling out cost-of-living support that those opposite don't support. That's why we're giving a tax cut to every taxpayer, which those opposite wanted to call an election over. That's why we're helping people with their energy bills. That's why we're helping with what people pay at the pharmacy. It's why we're providing rent assistance. It's why we're doing cheaper early childhood education. It's why we're getting wages moving again after a decade of deliberate wage stagnation and wage suppression.

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

Order. The member for Page will cease interjecting.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If those opposite really cared about living standards they'd support our efforts to help people with the cost of living, but they don't. If those opposite cared about living standards they'd support our efforts to get wages moving again, but they don't. In fact, they want people working longer for less. We want people earning more and keeping more of what they earn.

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

The member for Hume is going to cease interjecting.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When we came to office, real wages were falling 3.4 per cent. Now they're growing again. That's not an accident. That's deliberate. That's because of the policy agenda of this Albanese Labor government.

I welcome, two-and-a-bit years into the parliamentary term, the appearance of the shadow Treasurer. That's a good thing for all of us. But if he wants to ask about living standards he should be honest about living standards and he should acknowledge that every time they put their hands up in this place it's to make life harder for people when we're trying to make life easier for people.

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

Order. The member for Barker will cease interjecting.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Every time they oppose more housing, every time they oppose energy bill relief, every time they oppose tax cuts, which the deputy leader says they want to unwind—

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

Order. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy will cease interjecting. I'd like to 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: it was a very tightly drafted question. Australian families have suffered a bigger fall in real disposable income per person than any other OECD country. If the Treasurer is unable to answer that, he should be—

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

Resume your seat. He was asked: can he confirm that families—

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

He's failed to do it.

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

Order. He just has to make sure his answer is relevant. As I said, he can do some compare and contrast regarding his answer. That can't be the entire answer. He hasn't been doing that. He's been talking about the government's achievements and what he's been doing. He has one minute and 20 seconds remaining.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have acknowledged that people are under extreme pressure. I have acknowledged that. But more than acknowledge that we are doing something about it.

Only one side of this parliament cares about the pressures that people are under. That is why we're rolling out cost-of-living help. That's why we are cleaning up the mess they made of the budget. That's why we are investing in housing, in skills and energy and in a Future Made in Australia, because, when we came to office, real wages were falling, inflation had a six in front and was rising and interest rates had already started going up. Since we came to office, we have recognised the pressures people are under, we have recognised that growth in our economy is slow, and we have been fighting inflation without ignoring the risks to growth and the pressures people are under. If those opposite were serious about it, instead of opposing our changes to the tax cuts, instead of opposing our cost-of-living relief, instead of opposing getting wages moving, they would have supported it.