Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering cost-of-living relief to Australians? What economic approaches has the government ruled out?

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

I thank the member for Macquarie for her question. Indeed, we know that many Australians are feeling under pressure right now, and easing that cost-of-living pressure is of course our No. 1 priority. We have kept our focus on delivering relief whilst making sure we put downward pressure on inflation at the same time. Since we were last here just a few weeks ago, we made medicines cheaper on the first of this month, with more of them going into the 60-day list—something that those opposite opposed. We have opened more free Medicare urgent care clinics—once again, opposed by those opposite. Energy bill relief was rolled out to more households, and this month over one million households will get an increase in rent assistance. This week we're progressing our plan for super on PPL as well as HECS relief—$3 billion off the HECS bill of Australians. We are introducing legislation this week to deliver a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators. At the same time, we are ensuring that we keep costs down for families who have their children in child care. A typical childcare educator will be $155 a week better off when these rises kick in.

The opposition, of course, have opposed every cost-of-living relief measure we've provided. We know they support lower wages, not higher wages. We will wait and see what they have to say about the early educators. They've offered no help, no plans for people doing it tough, just relentless, pointless negativity, including their planned $315 billion in cuts. I am asked: have we rejected it? We sure have.

Now, the shadow finance minister made it clear. She said, 'I can tell you exactly what we wouldn't have done—that additional $315 billion of spending.' What does that mean to people? It means cuts to the pension, costing $146 a fortnight; cuts to the single parenting payment—$123 a fortnight; cuts to affordable housing; cuts to Medicare and cheaper medicines; and cuts to fee-free TAFE. She's out there saying, 'We're against that $315 billion of spending.' We're cutting the cost of living. The Leader of the Opposition is cutting Medicare, pensions and funding for housing. That is their objective. We're fighting inflation; they're fighting amongst themselves.