Zaneta Mascarenhas (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government working for Australians to bring down cost-of-living pressures, and what would the impact be if some of those measures were not delivered?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. Global inflation in the aftermath of the pandemic and with conflicts in different parts of the world is impacting every nation. Wherever you go, there are communities around the world which are feeling the pinch. That is no different here in Australia. We know Australians are doing it tough and there is more to be done. We offer a government which is utterly focused each and every day on the household budgets of every Australian.

When we came to power, we understood the most important step we could take—

Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Community Safety, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is to play golf!

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

in the war on inflation was prudent economic management, which is why in our two years in office we have produced two surpluses putting downward pressure on inflation, and that is starting to work. We inherited from those opposite an inflation rate of 6.1 per cent. Indeed, in their last full quarter in office the quarterly inflation rate was 2.1 per cent—the highest this century. Now the inflation rate is down to 2.8 per cent annually, within the RBA band.

Our economic management stands in stark contrast to those opposite, who in every one of their nine attempts failed to produce a surplus despite promising it on each and every occasion. They had no idea how to manage the budget. There was never an issue they wouldn't throw money at.

Whatever Robert Menzies or John Howard might have imagined for their party, the sad truth is that for this bunch of Liberals economic management is not their strong suit, which is why the biggest risk to the household budgets of every Australian is a prospect of a future Dutton government.

When we have spent money, we have been focused on cost-of-living relief such as tax cuts for all and increasing the minimum wage. That has been done in the face of the opposition of this man. If the Leader of the Opposition had had his way, the average household in this country would now be $7,000 worse off. The only idea they have in terms of budget management is $315 billion worth of cuts—that's the age pension, that's bulk-billing, that's Medicare.

Australians should be under no illusion whatsoever: the single biggest risk to their household budget, the single biggest risk to their future, is sitting right there.

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

Before I call the member for Fairfax: the member for La Trobe was not interjecting; he was yelling, all throughout question time. If I can hear you from that far away, I can only imagine how that was disruptive for members around you.

Government members interjecting—

Order, members on my right! So the member for La Trobe will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for La Trobe then left the chamber .

I'm going to ask all members—I know it's the first day back and it's a big fortnight, but I want everyone to show some restraint today and to show each other more respect.