Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his question and for his ongoing interest in jobs and the support provided to families in this country. Labor is very much focused on the pressure on the family budget to meet the costs associated with daily living and particularly for raising kids and supporting them in their activities. That is why we have been focused on delivering additional support to Australian families.

As senators would be aware, eligible families have already received an initial payment to help with their utility bills. Through the household assistance package the government is delivering payments to more than 1½ million Australian families. Eligible families have already received payments totalling $325 million to assist them with their budgets. We know this is welcome news for them; it is assistance that makes a direct difference to their family budgets. Families who receive family tax benefit A are receiving payments of $110 per child while those families eligible for family tax benefit part B are receiving $69 per child.

The government is determined to do more to help families with the costs associated with sending their kids to school. This week 1.3 million Australian families have started receiving additional financial support through the schoolkids bonus. That bonus has replaced the education tax rebate to make sure that all families who are eligible get assistance. It is a shame that the Liberal opposition has got itself into such a negative position that when the government seeks to assist families with the costs of sending their children to school Senator Abetz and Mr Abbott refuse to support measures designed to directly assist those families. That is where the priorities of those opposite are; they oppose assistance to families to help them meet the costs of sending their kids to school.