Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. How has the Albanese Labor government been building Australia's future, and what alternative approaches are there?

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

I thank the member for Chisholm for her question. Indeed, we have cut taxes, of course, for every single Australian taxpayer. We did that last year with legislation where we changed the legislated tax cuts of the Morrison government. We said that, under the circumstances, we could do better than that. We can make sure that no Australian gets left behind. That's why we delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, and that's why last night the Senate passed legislation to give that tax cut for every taxpayer.

I'm asked about alternatives to that plan, and, of course, we know now that those opposite absolutely want to raise taxes for everyone. We're strengthening Medicare on this side of the chamber; they want to gut it. We're growing wages; they want people to work longer for less. We've made medicines cheaper; they voted against cheaper medicines. They tried to stop that measure, voting against it six times in this parliament. We're cutting student debt by 20 per cent; they want to stop that cut to student debt happening.

We're building new energy now; they have a $600 billion nuclear energy plan that, sometime in the 2040s, will deliver four per cent of Australia's energy needs and push up energy prices. We're backing a Future Made in Australia; they want to send jobs and industries offshore. We're making free TAFE permanent; they want to end it. They regard it as a waste and say that people don't value it if it's free. We're giving early educators a 15 per cent pay rise; they mock it. We're supporting appropriate working from home arrangements and the right to disconnect; they only want you to work at home if you're not getting paid. That's what those opposite want.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my left!

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

We're making child care cheaper and available to all.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! This is going to stop immediately. It's ridiculous. Order, the Leader of the Opposition! Everyone! Members on my right, show some respect.

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

We are delivering on the cost of living; they're cutting the cost of lunching. That's their priority. Only Labor governments do the big things: better and fairer funding for every school; strengthening Medicare so you can see a GP for free; tax cuts for every single taxpayer; moving to universal child care; and a future made in Australia. Only Labor builds to last. Only Labor does the big reforms. Only Labor is building Australia's future. On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.