Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

It isn't the government's policy to introduce a tax as Senator McKim suggests. I give him credit for persistence in asking me that question, but my answer remains the same. However, the point you raised on cost of living is real. I think the challenge for those of us looking at the right way to respond and how we need to work hand in hand with the bank on the monetary policy side is: what meaningful difference can we make in a cost-of-living sense that doesn't have an inflationary impact? They are the decisions we've taken around our investment in skills, the National Reconstruction Fund and making investments in housing, cheaper child care and cheaper medicines. All of those are sensible investments. They do come with spending attached, but they are sensible investments which don't put upward pressure on inflation and assist people with costs of living. Energy cost relief is another area, and we'll continue to do that.