Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. What has the Albanese Labor government done to help ease cost-of-living pressures that Australians are facing? Are there any approaches which would make Australians worse off?

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

I thank the member for Bennelong for his question. It was terrific to be with him in Eastwood last Saturday at the lunar new year celebrations.

We have an economy that is growing. We have inflation which is down to a four-year low. We have wages that are up and pay packets that are growing at the fastest pace since 2012. Unemployment on average is the lowest it has been under any government in 50 years—in the context of a global economic crisis—with 1.1 million jobs created, more than two-thirds of which have been full time. We have the smallest gender pay gap on record, fewer days lost to industrial disputes, and a record number of small businesses and record business investment. We've delivered tax cuts for every single taxpayer; a cost-of-living support rollout; energy bill relief; cheaper child care; cheaper medicines; extra GP appointments; free TAFE; the largest increase in rent assistance in 30 years of 45 per cent over two increases; student debt relief for three million Australians, with more to come; the first back-to-back surpluses in two decades; and less debt—to the tune of $200 billion saved—as a result of the hard work that we have done.

I'm asked about alternatives. The Leader of the Opposition was a senior minister for every day of the former government. Every Australian will remember all too well what he means when he speaks about going back. It will be back to rising inflation; back to wages being kept deliberately low; back to aged care in crisis, bulk-billing in freefall and child care being out of reach; back to chasing manufacturing offshore; back to Australia being completely isolated on the world stage; back to secret ministries and robodebt; and back to wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on commuter car parks that weren't anywhere near train stations. At the beginning of the show, he was appointed health minister. He was so bad that he was dumped by Tony Abbott, but do you know what was worse? He was replaced by Sussan Ley.

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.